Kazakhstan and Russia will establish a
working group for joint study of the shallowing of the Caspian Sea. The
Committee of the Mazhilis, the lower house of the Kazakh Parliament, considered
issues of marine environment protection. One of the major ecosystem restoration
projects of the world’s largest enclosed water body is also being planned in
cooperation with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. The three Caspian countries aim to
combat pollution and preserve biodiversity. The Global Environment Facility
(GEF) will provide $12 million in funding for the five-year project.
«Separately, the UN Development Programme
will implement an $8 million project, funded by a GEF grant, focused
specifically on Kazakhstan’s section of the Caspian Sea. The possibility of
attracting funds from the Adaptation Fund for a Caspian Sea coastal adaptation
project is being worked out as well. The estimated project value is $10
million,» said Kazakh Vice Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mansur
Oshurbayev.
Scientists warn that the Caspian Sea is
facing an unprecedented ecological crisis. Despite being fed by approximately
130 rivers, its water level is dropping by eight centimeters annually. If
current trends continue, experts estimate the level could fall to minus 33
meters by 2050. In response to the growing threat, Kazakhstan established a
research institute last year to investigate the causes and consequences of the
Caspian Sea’s shallowing.
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