Urgent action of 5 countries is the only way to save “Caspian”.
According to Moj News Agency, Ali Selajgeh, Vice President and Head of Protection Organization the environment In his speech at the meeting of the ministers of the contracting countries of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment Caspian sea (Tehran Convention) which will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, said: I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan, who proposed holding a consultative meeting of ministers and high-ranking officials of the environment of the member countries of the Tehran Convention. , I announce.
He continued: I would also like to express my gratitude to the officials of the European Regional Office of UNEP for managing the temporary secretariat of the Tehran Convention and coordinating this meeting.
The head of the Environmental Protection Organization said: The Caspian Sea is a valuable resource for the people who live near it and is a common natural heritage that must be preserved for current and future generations. Lack of attention to the quality of the environment of the Caspian Sea, the economy and the livelihood of the marginal communities puts this sea at risk. By preserving the environment of this sea, people and coastal communities will benefit from its various benefits, economic activities will be strengthened in order to achieve sustainable development, and a balance will be established between economic development and environmental protection of the Caspian Sea.
Selajgeh added: However, in order to achieve sustainable development in the region, there are still many challenges ahead of us. Although guaranteeing a stable future for the Caspian Sea has been covered to an acceptable extent by the Tehran Convention and its additional protocols, the development of a timed implementation plan in line with the good implementation of the Convention and its additional protocols is far more necessary and urgent.
He stated: On the other hand, some current environmental problems of the Caspian Sea require urgent and coordinated action by all 5 coastal countries. One of our environmental concerns is the increase in the number of casualties of Caspian seals. In this context, we suggest that a five-way meeting between the managers of fisheries and environment organizations of 5 coastal countries be held as soon as possible.
Pointing to the decrease in the water level of the Caspian Sea, the Vice President said: Another issue is the decrease in the water level of the Caspian Sea, which, in addition to the negative effects on shipping, has also affected the livelihood of coastal people, and its negative environmental effects on aquatic life and vegetation are unique to The person of the Caspian Sea is not hidden from anyone. The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to cooperate with the coastal countries in the field of controlling the lowering of the Caspian sea level.
Selajgeh considered another challenge regarding the environment of the Caspian Sea as pollution caused by land as well as oil pollution and stated: Ignoring it will deprive future generations of having a clean and fruitful sea. In the field of combating oil pollution, fortunately, the Octao protocol has been signed and has become mandatory. Cooperation in the form of this protocol can be a part of solving our problems in this field.
He emphasized: What was said are only some of the most important issues facing us in the Caspian Sea. It is not possible to overcome these challenges except with structured and regular cooperation in the form of the Tehran Convention. Now, after about 17 years since the Tehran Convention came into force, we are at a stage where achieving its goals depends on institutional and serious measures. The existence of a coherent and strong secretariat in the region can provide the necessary platform for these measures.
The head of the Environmental Protection Organization added: “Fortunately, relevant decisions have been made in this regard, and we are obliged to take forward steps to protect the environment of the Caspian Sea by adhering to these decisions.”
Selajgeh reminded: During the sixth meeting of the contracting parties in Baku, all parties with commitment to common interests and respect for the environment of the Caspian Sea tried to reach a consensus on the important issues under discussion, but reaching a common opinion faced serious challenges and that’s why In this meeting, we are committed to solving these challenges. I believe that by completing and finalizing the Baku statement, we will provide expert groups with an opportunity to discuss the disputed issues and obtain a concrete result.
He said: “So far, we have missed a lot of opportunities to implement the Tehran Convention, and many of the current environmental problems are affected by this delay.” Therefore, I request the heads of the delegations of the coastal countries of the Caspian Sea to take firm steps towards finalizing the headquarters and organizational arrangements of the Secretariat of the Tehran Convention, together with the commitment to the common heritage that we all share.
In the end, the vice president added: Considering the essential role of regular and timely holding of the meeting of the contracting parties of the convention in advancing its goals, I hope that by the time of the next meeting of the contracting parties in Tehran, we will see the establishment of the Secretariat of the Tehran Convention in the region.
According to the public relations report of the Environmental Protection Organization, the vice president and head of the Environmental Protection Organization left for Geneva, Switzerland yesterday morning to participate in the meeting of the ministers of the contracting countries of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Tehran Convention).