Environmental activists and officials have raised alarms over the rapidly decreasing water levels of the Caspian Sea, emphasizing the urgent need for collective action among the bordering nations. "We are on the verge of a great crisis in the Caspian Sea. Everyone understands this, but each side is defending its own interests," said Vadim Ni, the founder of the Save The Caspian Sea Ecological Movement, according to Karar.
The Caspian Sea, recognized as the largest 'closed sea' in the world, is bordered by five countries: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Iran. Covering an area of approximately 370,000 square kilometers, it is fed by nearly 130 rivers, yet there are differences between its northern and southern parts. In the northern part, the water is less salty, and the average depth does not exceed 5 meters. In contrast, the southern part boasts saltier water and depths reaching up to 1,025 meters.
Ni explained that they established the Save The Caspian Sea Ecological Movement after meeting with environmental activists working on the Caspian Sea last December. "We want to draw attention at regional and international levels to the key problems of the Caspian Sea, such as the drop in sea level, pollution of the sea by oil and gas companies, loss of biodiversity, and fishing and tourism being under threat," he stated, according to TRT Haber.
"Fish and plant species found only in the Caspian Sea have reached the stage of complete extinction," he said, according to Anadolu. "The Caspian sturgeon, which is 200 million years old, has decreased by 90%. The population of the Caspian seal has dropped from 1 million to 70,000. More than 12 million migratory birds that stop in the Caspian are at risk of losing their accustomed routes," he said.
Kazakh Parliamenterian Sergey Ponomarev, stated that the Parliament is closely monitoring the receding of the Caspian Sea. "The receding of the Caspian Sea is expected to continue. The Caspian Sea is important for the Kazakh economy. The drop in sea level may make it difficult to access these oil fields. Currently, work is being done to establish the Caspian Sea Research Institute in the central city of Aktau. In addition, next year we will likely start developing laws regarding the Caspian Sea," Ponomarev said, according to Anadolu.
Environmental activist and independent researcher Galina Chernova, who has lived in the city of Atyrau in the Caspian Sea region for 44 years, expressed concern over the environmental impact of oil production. "First of all, it is necessary to stop the construction of dams on the banks of other rivers, especially the Volga River, which is the Caspian's largest source, so that more water comes to the Caspian," Chernova stated, according to OdaTV. She noted that Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia are currently producing oil in the Caspian Sea.
Chernova highlighted the differences in marine life across the sea's coasts. "The ecosystems in the coasts where oil is intensively produced are at risk of disappearing. For example, we see that the sea is more vibrant and the fishing sector is better developed on the Iranian coast, where there is no oil production," she said.
Kazakhstan, which has the longest coastal region of the Caspian Sea, witnessed the water area decrease by 7.1% in the past 15 years, according to Anadolu. From 2005 to 2023, the Caspian Sea's water level dropped by 185 centimeters, resulting in a loss of 31,000 square kilometers of water area, according to En Son Haber.
The Caspian Sea is of strategic importance for oil-importing countries and plays a key role in the economy of the bordering nations. The total oil reserves of the Caspian Sea are estimated to be 48 billion barrels, according to TRT Haber.
Despite its vast energy resources, the environmental challenges pose a threat. Experts point out that there are not only environmental changes but also economic difficulties due to the decrease in the Caspian Sea's water level, with possible damages in sectors such as fishing and agriculture, according to Karar. "We are facing climatic, environmental, and economic crises," Ni warned, according to Karar.
In Iran, authorities are discussing the measures that need to be taken to balance the situation, as the decrease in water level will cause many changes in the coastal areas, according to Asriran. Mohammad Reza Kavyanpour, the head of the Water Research Institute of the Ministry of Energy, stated that the Caspian Sea is not likely to disappear. "This decrease in water level does not mean the disappearance of the sea, but it will affect the coastal areas of the country," he said, according to Asriran.
Kavyanpour highlighted the importance of the Volga River to the Caspian Sea's water supply. "About 80 percent of the water of the Caspian Sea is supplied from this river; about 300 to 320 billion cubic meters nourish the Caspian Sea, of which the contribution from the Volga River is estimated to be 240 billion cubic meters," he said. He noted the impact of evaporation and reduced water flow, stating, "Now the water balance of the Caspian Sea is negative, but extensive studies are needed to determine the share of neighboring countries in the decrease of the water level," according to Asriran.
"Although the Caspian Sea has a very large body of water, it has been affected by climate changes to the extent that it is not clear what will happen to it in the next millennium," Kavyanpour added.