TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) announced its readiness to hold the Seventh Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea, known as COP 7.
IRNA quoted DOE Secretary Shina Ansari as saying that Iran is willing to maintain and promote cooperation with the Tehran Treaty, improve its structure and establish a permanent secretariat.
The Prime Minister made the remarks in Tehran on Monday during a meeting with Mahir Aliyev, Secretary of the Framework Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Tehran Convention).
The two officials also discussed the arrangements and preparations for hosting COP 7, the Caspian Sea littoral states’ perspectives on cooperation to advance the goals of the Tehran Treaty, and the reduction of pollution and hazardous substances in the Caspian Sea.
COP 6 was held in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan in October 2022.
COP 7 focuses on Caspian seal conservation
Known for its unique biodiversity, the Caspian Sea is home to a wide variety of rare species that play an important role in the region’s economy, food security, and ecological sustainability.
Over recent decades, marine populations of marine life, particularly sturgeon and Caspian seals, have declined sharply due to threatening factors such as illegal fishing, overfishing, oil, industrial and agricultural pollution, climate change, water loss and habitat destruction.
The Caspian seal is the only marine mammal that lives in the Caspian Sea. The species is currently listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, and its population has declined for a variety of reasons, from 1 million to 70,000 today.
In recent years, an increasing number of dead seals have been discovered on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, raising concerns among environmentalists that the species is more at risk of extinction than ever before. According to a report by IRNA, 18 carcasses have been found on the coast of Mazandaran in just two months.
Speaking at the Coordination Meeting for the Conservation of the Caspian Sea Seal Species, Ansari said that given recent seal losses and their critical status, conservation efforts need to be prioritized. Therefore, COP 7 in Tehran will focus on the conservation of Caspian seals.
“At the 11th Nevsky International Ecological Conference held in St. Petersburg, Russia, from May 22 to 23, the five Caspian countries (Iran, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan) discussed threatening environmental challenges, including declining water levels, pollution, habitat destruction, and declining marine animal populations,” Ansari was quoted as saying.
Emphasizing the need for regional cooperation to protect the biodiversity of the Caspian Sea ecosystem, Mr. Ansari said that based on regional diplomacy, it is essential to focus specifically on the Caspian Sea environment to save endangered species, especially the Caspian seal, through strengthened joint measures.
The official went on to stress the importance of fostering cross-sectoral cooperation between responsible institutions such as fisheries and veterinary organizations, saying that fostering joint efforts will reduce conflicts over the conservation of these species.
MT/MG