EU ambassador flags Caspian Sea decline, Azerbaijan’s climate action

Azerbaijan’s participation in the “Covenant of Mayors” initiative reflects its dedication to international climate commitments, the European Union Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Marijana Kujundžić, said, while also highlighting concerns over the significant drop in water levels in the Caspian Sea.

The ambassador emphasised that Azerbaijan, like other countries, is facing the impacts of climate change, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“Like everyone else, Azerbaijan is suffering from climate change. I have been informed that a significant decrease in the level of the Caspian Sea has been observed. By working together, we can reduce the volume of carbon emissions, and we can do this in various cities of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan’s accession to the Covenant of Mayors initiative shows that it is striving to fulfil its international obligations,” she stated.

Over the past decade, the Caspian Sea’s water level has dropped significantly, with official figures showing a fall of nearly 1.5–2 meters in the last 10 years, reflecting long‑term shallowing trends.

Observations indicate that reduced inflow from the Volga River, along with changing precipitation and evaporation patterns, is driving the Caspian Sea’s decline.

Experts from a Caspian coordinating committee warn that the receding water level remains uncertain in the future trajectory, but has already become a critical environmental and economic concern for all littoral states.

By Jeyhun Aghazada