Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Rauf Hajiyev has called on Caspian littoral states to cooperate.
He made the call during a special session titled "Cities at the Center of Connectivity: Reconstruction and Regional Cooperation" held within the World Urban Forum (WUF13).
He noted that heavy rains and rising water levels create new challenges: "This concerns environmental security and quality of life. The Caspian is the world's most closed water basin. Serious changes have been observed in recent years. Therefore, systematic steps must be taken."
"It should be assessed as an economic and social problem. Risks must be identified. An important issue is that decisions regarding the Caspian should be based not on episodic actions but on scientific research."
"Stormwater management and identification of green zones are essential. Implementation capacity at the local level must be strengthened. The challenges are similar for the region's coastal countries. We should not limit ourselves to data exchange. We must act together and implement new projects. Caspian states should also engage in bilateral cooperation."
