Regional expert group to be set up on declining sea level in Caspian Sea

A regional group of experts is planned to be established related to the lowering sea level in the Caspian Sea, said Umayra Tagiyeva, head of the National Hydrometeorology Service of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Report informs.

According to her, hesitations over the level of the Caspian Sea in recent years are one of the most discussed issues: "There is a forecast that the sea level, which plays a special role in forming the economies of the Caspian littoral states, will fall significantly by the end of the century. This year, scientific research and monitoring work was carried out during the expedition organized by Alif Hajiyev's ship four times, and interesting results were obtained. Global warming has caused seawater in the Caspian Sea to rise by an average of 1.2 degrees. Of course, against the background of declining levels, these factors pose additional risks to marine ecosystems and biodiversity."

Tagiyeva said that since 2005 the sea level has been falling steadily: "The sea level has dropped by 119 cm over the years and is expected to fall further by the end of this year. A seminar with the participation of Caspian littoral states and international experts in this field is planned for March 2022 to discuss the problem of further decline in the Caspian Sea as a result of climate change in the future. A regional expert group will be established to jointly develop agreed-level scenarios and adaptation measures for the basin."