UN official calls for immediate action on Caspian Sea challenges

Caspian littoral states must strengthen cooperation to address the environmental challenges facing the Caspian Sea, or the region could face serious changes in the coming decades, Simonetta Siligato, director for multi-country operations at the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), said.

Speaking during a panel session held as part of Baku Climate Action Week 2026 (BCAW 2026), Siligato stressed that the Caspian’s environmental challenges extend far beyond environmental concerns alone, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“The situation requires immediate action. In the coming decades, we may face potentially dramatic changes in the Caspian Sea. This is no longer simply an environmental issue — as one of the previous speakers noted, it affects infrastructure, ports, transport, local economies and people’s livelihoods, as well as water security and biodiversity,” she emphasised.

Siligato also pointed to a strong economic case for cooperation, noting that the five countries would ultimately spend significantly more if they tackled the same regional problem separately than if they joined forces.

“It is also much less effective. This is where I see a concrete practical role for UNOPS. We can help turn political commitments and scientific knowledge into programs that are actually implemented and financed — in cooperation with governments, financial partners, the private sector and local communities,” she said.

According to Siligato, the Caspian Sea is a single hydrological system shared by five coastal states. However, the scientific data and information used to understand processes in the Caspian have largely been developed separately within national borders.

“I believe international cooperation can bring real practical benefits here: if we genuinely want to understand what is happening, we need to share information, maintain dialogue and plan actions together. (...) And such cooperation should not be limited to government institutions. We need research institutes, international financial organisations and development partners, but most importantly, local communities and the private sector. Practical action takes place on the ground, and without the involvement of local communities, the results achieved will not be as tangible,” she stressed.

Siligato noted that through the “Blueing the Caspian Sea” project, which UNOPS is implementing with the World Bank and funding from the Global Environment Facility in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, the organisation is seeking to help establish a common evidence base for joint planning.

“This means having comparable monitoring systems, shared databases and common platforms for analysis. Measurements taken here in Azerbaijan should mean the same thing to a scientist in Kazakhstan or Turkmenistan. If we do not have this common scientific language and a shared understanding of the problem, how can we develop an effective regional response that will genuinely improve the situation in the future?” she added.

At the same time, Siligato highlighted the Tehran Convention and its protocols as an important foundation for cooperation among the five Caspian littoral states.

“All we need to do now is strengthen the technical component, the foundation of this structure: establish links between scientists and institutions, improve the exchange of data and knowledge, and ensure sustainable financing so that regional cooperation becomes an integral part of the practical management of Caspian resources,” Siligato said.

By Jeyhun Aghazada