Events
This section presents past and upcoming events in the Caspian Sea region related to environmental protection.
- 19 November 2024"Meet the Caspian Sea" COP29 side-eventBaku, Azerbaijan
- Location
- Baku, Azerbaijan
"Meet the Caspian Sea: Enhancing Coastal Resilience and Biodiversity Protection through the Tehran Convention under Climate Change impacts" side event aims to underscore the essential role of the Tehran Convention in addressing these transboundary environmental challenges, building climate resilience, and promoting sustainable development across the Caspian region.
- Attached documents
- Website
- 18 November 2024“Caspian Sea Water Decline in light of climate change” COP29 side-eventBaku, Azerbaijan
- Location
- Baku, Azerbaijan
On November 18, 2024, under the auspices of the UNFCCC COP29 Presidency, a high-level event entitled “Caspian Sea Water Decline in Light of Climate Change” will convene key environmental stakeholders and policymakers. The event, organized by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Secretariat of the Tehran Convention (TCIS) seeks to address the critical issue of Caspian Sea level decline intensified by climate change impacts.
- Attached documents
- Website
- 8–10 October 2024Implementation and Operational Authorities Meeting under the Aktau ProtocolAktau, Kazakhstan
- Location
- Aktau, Kazakhstan
- Attached documents
- 18–19 June 2024First Preparatory Committee to the Seventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Tehran Convention,
- Location
- ,
First PrepCom to the COP7 of the Tehran Convention was held online on 18-19 June 2024. During PrepCom-1 the participants discussed the activities to start the implementation of the Moscow Protocol which entered into force in November 2023, priority actions for the Protocol for the Conservation of Biological Diversity ("Ashgabat Protocol") and the Protocol on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (EIA Protocol) to the Tehran Convention. The meeting also discussed the Draft Terms of Reference and arrangements for the Scientific Network of the Caspian Sea Region.
- Attached documents
- 12 June 2024Meeting of the Working Group on Monitoring and AssessmentBaku, Azerbaijan
- Location
- Baku, Azerbaijan
The Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment (WGMA) was established in 2015 following a decision by COP5 (Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 2014) as an advisory body to the Tehran Convention Secretariat with a primary goal to facilitate and coordinate the activities of the Contracting Parties in the marine environmental monitoring to fulfil their obligations under the Article 19 of the Tehran Convention. COP6 in October 2022 confirmed the Terms of Reference and the composition of the WGMA.
During its previous meetings in 2023 and earlier in 2024 the Group examined capabilities of the Parties in the marine environmental monitoring and developed a roadmap to the earliest finalization and implementation of the EMP to the best extent possible for the Caspian littoral states to this day with the intention to broaden the scope of the monitoring activities in future. This work will continue along with discussions on the arrangements to start the implementation of the Moscow Protocol to the Tehran Convention at an early date.
- Attached documents
- 10–11 June 2024Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Tehran Convention on Protocol on Monitoring, Assessment and Information Exchange to the Tehran ConventionBaku, Azerbaijan
- Location
- Baku, Azerbaijan
Negotiations continue on the Protocol on Monitoring, Assessment and Information Exchange to the Tehran Convention. A meeting to finalize the text of the Protocol was held in Baku on 10-11 June 2014.
The negotiations on the Protocol on Monitoring, Assessment and Information Exchange were initiated by the decision of the Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Tehran Convention (COP5) of 30 May 2024.
Provisions of the Protocol on Monitoring, Assessment and Information Exchange will regulate standards and procedures for national reporting and provide a set of water quality objectives to strive for. The Protocol sets requirements on environmental monitoring, assessment, access to and exchange of environmental information, as well as procedural framework for implementation of the Protocol’s provisions.
- 16 April 2024Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Tehran Convention on Protocol on Monitoring, Assessment and Information Exchange to the Tehran Convention,
- Location
- ,
An online meeting was held on 16 April 2024 to bring together representatives of all the Caspian littoral states as well as environmental experts to discuss provisions of the Protocol on Monitoring, Assessment and Information Exchange.
The elaboration of the Protocol on Monitoring, Assessment and Information Exchange was started with the decision of Conference of the Parties to the Tehran Convention during its Fifth Meeting in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, in 2014. COP5 determined “to initiate and service intergovernmental consultations related to the development of such a framework, in consultation with the Working Group on Monitoring and Information Exchange”.
The next meeting of expert to negotiate and finalize the text of the Protocol on Monitoring, Assessment and Information Exchange will be held in person in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 10 to 11 June 2024.
- Attached documents
- 11 March 2024Meeting of the Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment,
- Location
- ,
The Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment held an online meeting to review and discuss the list of marine parameters indispensable for a proper description of the state of the Caspian environment and agree on the next steps to be taken towards the implementation of the updated Environment Monitoring Programme.
Lately the WGMA activities have been focused on updating of the Environmental Monitoring Programme which had been developed and welcomed by COP-4 in 2012 “as the basis for continuation of this activity and capacity building and regional cooperation for monitoring the parameters which determine the quality of the marine environment of the Caspian Sea”. During the meeting, the members of the WGMA examined capabilities of the Parties in the marine environmental monitoring and developed a roadmap to the earliest finalization and implementation of the EMP to the best extent possible for the Caspian littoral states to this day with the intention to broaden the scope of the monitoring activities in future.
- Attached documents
- 20 February 2024Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Tehran Convention on Protocol on Monitoring, Assessment and Information Exchange to the Tehran Convention,
- Location
- ,
Online Meeting on the Protocol on Monitoring, Assessment and Information Exchange was held on 20 February 2024.
The Protocol concerns issues of the Caspian Sea marine and coastal environment monitoring, information exchange and assessment of the state of the marine environment of the Caspian Sea.
Provisions of the Protocol will regulate a set of water quality objectives and standards, national reporting on the implementation of the Tehran Convention and its Protocols in accordance with the Unified Reporting Format and regulate the State of the Caspian Sea Environment reporting.
- 18–19 December 20231st Meeting of the ad hoc Expert Group on the arrangements of the Secretariat of the ConventionBaku, Azerbaijan
- Location
- Baku, Azerbaijan
The ad hoc Expert Group on the arrangements of the Secretariat was established by the Decision of the Ministerial Consultations of the Caspian Littoral States in September 2023. The main goal of the Expert Group is to prepare draft documents on the arrangements of the Secretariat of the Convention.
The Ministerial Consultations of the Caspian Littoral States held on 21-22 September 2023 in Geneva decided to establish an ad hoc Expert Group comprised of representatives appointed by the Contracting Parties of the Tehran Convention, aimed at the preparation within the shortest possible timeframe of draft documents on the arrangements of the Secretariat of the Convention, recruitment of personnel, taking into account the equitable representation of Caspian Littoral States, rules of procedure, and financial rules of the Secretariat, as well as its cooperation with United Nations Environment Programme.
- Attached documents