Environmental Coalition exposes Armenia’s mining pollution in South Caucasus, Caspian Sea DIGITAL MAP PRESENTED

The Environmental Protection First (EPF) coalition has unveiled an interactive digital map detailing the environmental pollution caused by Armenia’s mining operations in the South Caucasus and Caspian Sea regions.

The map has been published in Azerbaijani, English, and Armenian, providing a comprehensive overview of the impact on the environment, Caliber.Az reports.

Mugabil Bayramov, Chairman of the Public Association of Cartographers of Azerbaijan, highlighted that the project took over a year to complete, with a dedicated team of professionals contributing to the development of this unique resource.

The interactive map includes detailed information about the locations of mineral deposits and mining enterprises in Armenia, as well as data on the pollutants being discharged into local rivers.

Bayramov emphasized that Armenian state authorities have typically avoided addressing these environmental concerns, but the EPF developed the map in Armenian to ensure that the local population is informed about the ecological violations that have been hidden from them.

The map, which is based on the WGS-84 coordinate system, allows users to click on any location for more detailed information, backed by satellite imagery.

This initiative aims to increase transparency and raise awareness about the ongoing environmental risks in the region, which have been largely overlooked by local authorities.

Meanwhile, Parvana Valiyeva, a member of the Milli Majlis (parliament), raised the issue during a presentation of Armenia's mineral resource map, stressing that the river flows through both Azerbaijan and Iran and is severely affected by Armenia's mining industry.

Valiyeva emphasized that the Environmental Protection First map, which highlights the environmental damage caused by Armenia, should be shared with international organisations concerned with ecological protection. She also called for Armenia to allow Azerbaijani and foreign NGOs to conduct environmental monitoring at its industrial sites.

According to Valiyeva, despite Azerbaijan's repeated appeals to Armenian NGOs on the matter, no response has been received. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has reportedly ignored the issue for nearly two years.

By Aghakazim Guliyev