The 2016 edition of Caspian Day has coincided with the entry into force of a landmark Protocol enabling littoral countries to prepare for, react to and collaborate on oil spills.

The Aktau Protocol entered into force on 25 July 2016 and is the first to be ratified by all Parties - Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan – of the Tehran Convention that is administered by UN Environment. The Protocol regulates how countries should assist each other in case of oil pollution incidents and ensures that a minimum level of equipment is maintained in order to deal with spills effectively, among other requirements.

“For over a century the Caspian Sea has been associated with its oil industry.” This has created “a legacy of heavy environmental contamination,” UN Environment Regional Director Jan Dusik reminded in a video message at the event.

“Yet today’s oil industry is different, and has adopted a responsible approach to gaining economic benefits hand-in-hand with preserving the environment,” he noted. “We hope that every actor in the oil extraction and transportation industry in the region will claim ownership of this Protocol and become a stakeholder in the process,” Mr Dusik underlined.

At a meeting held on 11 and 12 August, countries gathered to review plans for the Protocol to take effect and explore ways of enhancing stakeholder involvement in the Tehran Convention for the Caspian Sea and its environment.

A wide range of participants - including oil sector representatives - also attended the meeting, which was held in Aktau, Kazakhstan, where the Protocol was originally signed on the shores of the world’s largest inland body of water.

Meanwhile, Caspian Day was celebrated on 12 August with a medley of events in all littoral countries, including major shore clean-ups, roundtable discussions on changes to the Sea’s environment, study visits and children’s activities. The day aims to raise awareness on the unique ecosystem and biodiversity of the world’s largest inland body of water and the environmental risks faced by them.

For more information please click here or write to mahir.aliyev@unep.org