Yerevan's actions endanger South Caucasus ecosystem Environmentalists raise alarm

The project aimed at tackling environmental terrorism in Armenia, led by the environmental awareness organisation "Green World" and financially supported by the Azerbaijani Agency for State Support to Non-Governmental Organisations, is ongoing.

Public hearings on the topic of "Environmental Disaster in Okchuchay" were held in the village of Agali in the Zangilan district as part of this initiative, Caliber.Az reports.

At the event, project leader Elman Jafarli highlighted the extensive environmental destruction that has occurred over the past 30 years in Zangilan, Jabrayil, and Aghdam. He noted that deforestation has severely impacted areas with rare tree species.

"In Aghdam, over 100 hectares of pistachio forests have been vandalized. In the Kamalli village of the Lachin district, approximately 30 hectares of a century-old agroforest have been destroyed, leaving only 1-2 trees remaining. The total forest area in the Aghdam district was around 4,743 hectares, of which about 26 per cent has been lost. In the Jabrayil district, 90 per cent of the forests and vegetation have been devastated, leaving a barren landscape with no shrubs, trees, or ground cover," he noted.

Jafarli reported that the most critical issue involves transboundary rivers.

"The major rivers of Azerbaijan are contaminated with heavy metal pollutants from mining activities. Over 20 large and small rivers flow from Armenia into Azerbaijan, and these rivers are polluted. As a result, Azerbaijani rivers are also being tainted with hazardous waste, including lead, arsenic, zinc, and molybdenum. Direct contact with water from these rivers can lead to incurable diseases," he added.

The Okchuchay River Basin is contaminated with toxic waste from the Kajaran Copper-Molybdenum Plant and the Kapan Copper-Mining Complex in Armenia. Since December 2020, water samples have been taken from transboundary rivers, totaling 158 samples of water and 180 sediment samples. Analysis reveals that levels of harmful substances exceed permissible limits, with the river polluted by heavy metals. Alarmingly, these heavy metals and other chemicals in Okchuchay are also contaminating groundwater. A similar situation is observed in the Basitchay, Bargushad, and Araz rivers.

At the event, it was highlighted that major mining enterprises in Armenia are contributing to severe air pollution through emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other harmful substances. These pollutants are leading to respiratory issues, heart disease, and other serious health problems. The factories also discharge wastewater into the Arpachay River, a primary source of drinking water. The hearings underscored that Armenia's pollution of transboundary rivers and the atmosphere is severely impacting the ecosystem across the South Caucasus.