President's envoy: Declining Caspian water levels to severely impact tourism

Although Azerbaijan has long raised concerns about falling water levels in the Caspian Sea, the consequences are now becoming visibly clear, Mukhtar Babayev, the Azerbaijani President's Special Representative for Climate Issues and COP29 President, told Report.

According to him, the decline in Caspian water levels will cause significant damage in the future to agriculture, urban infrastructure, ports, and especially tourism: "Azerbaijan is not raising this issue for the first time. The drop in water levels will pose challenges for all Caspian littoral states-we've been saying this for years. Today, we're already witnessing the consequences. For example, the Caspian Sea has visibly receded along the Seaside Boulevard. Biodiversity is being harmed, and marine life is dying. These are serious and far-reaching effects-and they're just the ones we can see. Imagine how many problems remain hidden."

Babayev also outlined the main causes of the decline in water levels in the Caspian Sea: "The primary reason is reduced river inflow. In recent years, the Volga River has seen a sharp drop in water levels. In addition to the Volga, the Ural, Terek, Samur, and Kura rivers have also experienced declines. The lack of water-sharing agreements with neighboring countries has contributed to the Caspian's rapid shrinkage. Other key factors include the construction of large reservoirs and water use in agriculture."

He further emphasized that climate change is a major underlying cause of the problem.