Baku: At the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder and head of the IDEA Public Union, an international conference entitled “Caspian Sea Tipping Point: Transition from COP29 and UNOC 2025 Outcomes to Action on COP30” was held at the Baku Convention Center on October 2-3, APA reports.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the opening session featured several high-profile speakers, including COP29 President and Representative of the President of Azerbaijan on Climate Issues Mukhtar Babayev, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Rauf Hajiyev, Great Whale Conservancy Co-Founder and Executive Director Michael Fishbach, Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Center under Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Agriculture Jeyhun Aliyev, Baku International Sea Trade Port Chief Operating Officer Eugene Seah, and GRID-Geneva Director at UNEP Pascal Peduzzi, who joined online. These leaders addressed the critical challenges faced by the Caspian Sea, emphasizing issues such as sea level decline, bio-resource depletion, coastal ecosystem degradation, and pollution. They highlighted that these problems require international cooperation and shared strategies, as they cannot be solved by individual states alone. They stressed the importance of translating the key outcomes of Azerbaijan’s COP29 Presidency
into concrete actions to effectively mitigate climate change.
The conference continued with discussions involving representatives from the COP29 Presidency, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), UN-Habitat, and specialized scientific and research institutions from various countries. Topics focused on regional collaboration for Caspian Sea protection, water resources management, and strengthening international coordination. Participants emphasized the critical role of international scientific cooperation in tackling pressing environmental challenges.
Co-organized by IDEA and the Caspisnet Scientific Network, the conference attracted scientists and experts from over 10 countries specializing in marine ecology, sustainable aquaculture, hydrology, geographic information systems, and related fields. The discussions centered on Caspian Sea level changes, marine biodiversity, maintaining ecological balance, and exploring joint solutions.
The event will also include a tour of Absheron National Park, allowing participants to experience firsthand the rich biodiversity of the Caspian Sea.