Excellencies, distinguished delegates, esteemed colleagues,
It is a pleasure to join you at this critical moment for the Caspian Sea, a region with an ecological, economic and cultural importance that resonates far beyond its shores.
The Caspian Sea, the largest enclosed body of water on Earth, is under siege from the triple planetary crisis: the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature, land and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste.
By the end of this century, the Caspian Sea’s water levels could plummet by up to 18 meters. This is more than an environmental crisis. It is a human crisis. Such a decline would devastate ecosystems and species, threaten livelihoods and harm food security and stability across the region.
Without urgent action – including global action to slash greenhouse gas emissions – we could see as many as five million people displaced from the Caspian basin by mid-century. Already, we see the cascading impacts: fisheries in decline, salinization threatening agriculture and the critically endangered Caspian seal – a species found nowhere else on Earth –facing extinction.
Yet the story of the Caspian Sea is not solely one of decline. It is also one of opportunity. An opportunity to come together and protect this body of water, the species it hosts and the sustainable economic growth it can provide.
This shared body of water reminds us of our interconnectedness. Of how ecosystems, economies and communities are inextricably linked. So, the path forward must be shared. That is why the Tehran Convention is so critical. As the cornerstone for regional cooperation on the Caspian Sea, it provides a platform to align our efforts, to unite science and policy and to prioritize sustainable development across this unique region.
UNEP, as the interim Secretariat of the Tehran Convention, is proud to support these vital efforts, and remains firm in its commitment to provide technical expertise, foster collaboration and support innovative financing mechanisms to address this urgent challenge.
This moment calls for bold, ambitious action. Allow me to outline three key priorities.
First, we need to anchor our responses in science.
Robust monitoring and predictive models are essential to understand and manage the drivers of water level changes. Science must inform every decision we take, whether on climate adaptation, biodiversity protection or pollution control.
Second, we must strengthen regional cooperation.
The challenges the Caspian faces transcend borders. Solutions must do the same. Through transboundary collaboration, we can craft integrated solutions that safeguard ecosystems, support livelihoods and promote equitable economic growth.
Finally, we must act with urgency and ambition.
The Caspian Sea is a microcosm of the broader climate emergency, a warning of what is at stake for our planet. At COP29, let us demonstrate the leadership required to mitigate the decline and set the region on the path to resilience and recovery.
Distinguished colleagues,
Let us use this roundtable as a launchpad for action. Together, we can secure a future in which the Caspian Sea is not a story of loss but a story of resilience, and a beacon of what is possible when humanity comes together to protect and restore our planet.
Thank you.
