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REMEDIATION EFFORTS Azerbaijan List of projects
Creation of a “Special Economic Zone” in Sumgait The government of Azerbaijan is going to implement a development program for Sumgait with the support of UNIDO and UNDP. It will create a "Special Economic Zone" in Sumgait for the resurrection of the industry in Sumgait. An important part of the program is replacing outdated technology with modern production methods. This should make the enterprises more competitive, but also improve the environmental situation due to lower consumption of energy and raw materials and cleaner production technologies with a high degree of recycling.
Envisaged Municipal Projects for Sumgait
International relations In 1991 - 1995 the State Committee for Ecology (Goscomecology) has established close relations with international ecological organizations and bilateral relations with nature protection organizations of several countries. Senior officers of participated at the “Conference on the Establishment of the Caspian States’ Committee on the Problems Caspian ” in Iran, in the “Conference of Environmental Ministers from Central Asia, the Black Countries and the Balkan Region” in Istanbul and in the “Meeting of Environmental Ministers of European States” in Sofia. The conferences attracted international attention for the ecological problems of Azerbaijan, the Caspian and the Caucasian region. The State Committee for Ecology has established cooperation with the UN and the UNDP missions in Azerbaijan. It held meetings with representatives of UNEP, UNESCO, IBRD, nature protections organizations of the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Turkey, Iran and the CIS States. Goscomecology signed following documents: “Agreement on Cooperation in Ecology and Environmental Protection between Azerbaijan and Turkey”; “Protocol on Cooperation between the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Great Britain and Goscomecology of Azerbaijan”; “Agreement on co-operation between British Petroleum Company and Goscomecology in the Field of Ecology and Environmental Protection”. Goscomecology has taken the lead in setting up a coordination unit on Caspian problems with the participation of international organizations. UNDP, UNEP and the World Bank backed the proposal. A joint group of experts from these organizations called "Caspian Initiative" studied the ecological situation in the Caspian States and prepared a draft program on cooperation approved by the representatives of all Caspian States at the joint meeting in Teheran in 1994. The UN Development Program (UNDP) implements the joint program on scientific, technical and educational potential improvement in the field of ecology and environmental protection. During the conferences “Resolutions of Environmental Ministers from Europe” (Lucerne, 1993, Sofia, 1995) Goscomecology has started to prepare a National Plan of Actions on Environmental Protection with the assistance of the World Bank.
Iran In addition to recent efforts to stop further pollution Caspian , actions must also be taken to restore its water quality. All littoral countries should take part in this effort. In Iran plans for pollution control of the Caspian have been well established on the national and regional levels. Fortunately, the water quality in the Iranian coastal zone is not as bad as in Azerbaijan or Russia.
National Programs Iranian national programs on water and wastewater facilities are in realization. Although at present only one city (Isfahan) has a complete sewage collection network and treatment plant, more than 50 other cities have plans for sanitation systems. Priority is given to the areas where difficulties and health hazards are more serious. Due to pollution of water supplies Gilan and Mazandaran are both on the top priority list. According to the industrial waste treatment program, all manufacturing plants must have their own treatment systems. Environmental laws have been enacted and violators could face penalties or plant closings. It is expected that the enforcement of these laws will have an impact in the near future. Many institutions and departments, private as well as governmental, show great interest in the northern region of Iran. The pollution problem of the Caspian zone is a national concern. Therefore more financing is allocated to this region compared to other parts of the country. For example, almost all cities in this region have some sort of sewage treatment scheme. In the next five years almost all cities on the will have their own treatment plants.
Regional programs The largest project in the region is the sewage collection and treatment scheme of Rasht (Gilan province). Five cities and several villages with a total population of some 800,000 will be covered by the first phase of this project in near future. The whole project (collection and treatment) is estimated to cost over $80 million initially and which will be expanded later. The Rasht sewage works will have a very positive impact on the Sefidrud river and the Anzali wetlands, as well as the Caspian, where the water flows. In Mazandaran a similar project is underway for Babol and Sary, pertaining to a population of some 600,000. Construction of sewage collection system including piping and pump stations has already started and the treatment plants will be commissioned next year. Other cities of the region will be following suit. Construction of large aerated lagoons for Gonbad-Kavoos has already been started. The Lahijan project (Gilan) is on tender, and so are many other cities of the two provinces. According to the director of D.O.E. in Gilan , some 70 percent of factories have already installed some sort of waste treatment facilities. However, many of these systems do not produce effluents of the desired purity. The role of municipalities on solid waste collection and disposal is very important. Due to recent policies for fund raising which gives more power to municipalities, they should have more funds to spend for environmental purposes. However, much more effort is needed. The handling of solid wastes ought to be improved in the whole country and specially in the Caspian provinces. In the recent years Tehran and Isfahan municipalities have evaluated composting plants. Should trials be successful, others may follow. Better systems for waste collection, handling and disposal are needed. Waste separation and recycling is another important aspect. The technology of waste recycling has advanced in western countries but not yet in. Although collection of plastics, glassware, and metal pieces is practiced and a selling it to recycling plants is source of income for some people, more hygienic and modern techniques should be introduced. So far only Tehran has implemented a waste separation system and only on an experimental level.
Cleaner Production Technology In west Europe cleaner production technologies are becoming vital for the industries. Cleaner production helps to save energy and raw material and to generate less waste. Iran has not yet introduced such technologies on a larger scale. The reason is that funds for investments in new technology are difficult to find. Besides, Iran does not have enough experts who could train others to employ new technologies. Due to the industrialization of the country and the rapid population growth, environmental pollution has increased. Air pollution from motor vehicles has become a major problem in major cities like Tehran. With a few exceptions such as Isfahan, Iranian cities do not have proper sewage systems and treatment plants. Solid waste, industrial or domestic, is not being adequately disposed of. Environmental laws have been passed by the parliament to control industrial pollution better. For the Caspian region, this has improved the situation. Almost all industries have been required to install wastewater treatment systems. Since this control has become effective, the discharge of untreated industrial effluents has been reduced drastically. Larger cities have started planning for sewage collection and treatment systems. Examples are Rasht, Babol, Gonbad, and Sary. Fortunately, production or dumping of hazardous waste does not seem to occur and there are no records of any such violations. Iran's concern for the Caspian Iranian authorities have paid great attention to pollution of the Caspian with the following emphasis.
In the last few years, the control of pollution of the Caspian have always been a subject at many international meetings. In August 1993 an expert meeting of all littoral countries took place in Iran to discuss the protection of sturgeon and caviar production, followed by other meetings on ministerial level. Hopefully, this will lead to a first agreement under the Caspian council. The riparian countries of the Caspian had another meeting in Tehran in May 1996 for coordinating the exploitation and protection of sturgeon Regular meetings take place between the Iranian Fishery Industry (I.F.R.T.O.) and their counterparts in Russia and other riparian countries on the preservation of fish stocks.
Kazakhstan International programs The oil consortium "Kazakhstancaspyshelf" has supported ecological monitoring with about 7 million USD. The Scottish consulting firm ERT Environmental Rerch Technology, Stromness, together with Cairns Ltd, Aberdeen, CSM, Aberdeen, KCA Drilling, Aberdeen, and Walfords, Edfinburgh, has done a study on the infrasructural requirements for the offshore oil and gas drilling project. Mobil Oil Corporation started in 1996 a project for sample collection and analysis of water from the Caspian. The samples are investigated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Woods Hole, MA, USA). The Italian oil company Agip has conducted a study for the oil extraction in the Caspian and came to the conclusion that the best method would be Floating Production and Storage Offshore (FSPO). This means that a container ship is linked with a umbilical connection to the well head, which is at the bottom of the Caspian. Since newly discovered oil is usually in deeper and smaller cavities, traditional oil rigs are often too expensive. When the cavity is exhausted, the well head can be closed and stays in the ground. The container ship can be used for other well heads. Scientists from Kazakhstan and Denmark began to study flash floods on the Caspian north coast. In particular, the city of Atyrau suffers from the impact of these floods. The European Union is sponsoring this program. The Danish partner is the University of Aalborg. Another program has been developed on the protection of the biodiversity of the Caspian . About 35 million dollars will be spend for the realization of this program.
Foreign Investment Kazakhstan has a Department of External Assistance Coordination at the Committee for the Utilization of Foreign Capital. This department is applying for funds from foreign countries and international organizations for financing environmental programs. Currently, the largest donors are Japan, Germany and the US. Donor organizations include the European Bank for Restructuring and Development (EBRD) the Overs Economic Cooperation Fund of Japan (OECF), the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. In terms of commercial investments, Turkey, Germany and China have been very active besides the countries involved in the oil consortium.
Russia In 1993 - 1996 the following work has been done, in spite of insufficient financing, in compliance with the “Plan of priority measures on the protection of the population and prevention of flooding of economic and other objects, located on the coast of the Caspian ”.
Republic of Daghestan In Makhachkala, Derbent, Kaspiisk, in the urban settlement Sulak and in three rural settlements along the railroad Kizlyar-Astrakhan work was started on construction of protective works of total length 36 kilometers. Only 20-60% of designed capacity of this work has been implemented;
Republic of Kalmykia In Lagan and four rural settlements dykes of the length of 25 kilometers have been constructed. It is necessary to build additional water-passage facilities to maintain the natural water exchange regime on the adjacent territories;
Astrakhan Oblast In five settlements on the Volga bank-stabilization works and construction of flood-control dykes of the total length of 7.3 kilometers are being carried out. Work on the liquidation and prevention of negative flooding impacts has been started. 880 persons were resettled from the flooding zone on the Caspian coast.
The Russian Federal Program for the Caspian The work carried out became a constituent part of the federal program draft “Addressing social, economic and environmental problems, caused by the rise of the Caspian Water level”. The program’s objectives include the protection of the population, prevention of economic, social and environmental damage caused by the Caspian level rise to the Republic of Daghestan, the Republic of Kalmykia and the Astrakhan Oblast. The project envisages relocation of settlements, which cannot be protected, from the zone of flooding, protection of settlements from flooding; prevention of the most important economic and municipal objects from flooding and relocation of individual residences from the zone of flooding; adaptation of economic and other activities of the population to the changing natural conditions of the coast, developing marine economy and other kinds of profitable activity; monitoring of urban territories, engineering protective works and elements of natural environment. These tasks are to be solved in three stages: I stage (1996-2000): priority adaptation and protective measures are to be implemented II stage (2001-2005): the protection of densely populated areas and important objects of economy and infrastructure has to be completed in the zone of flooding III stage (2006-2010): adequate economic and organizational conditions should be created for the social development in the coastal area. In addition to integrated environmental programs of the federal level a number of projects are being developed in the region on specific aspects of the problem. For example, in 1992-1995 the Daghestan Branch of the Caspian Rerch Institute of Fishery and the Daghestan State University carried out studies on the theme “Biomonitoring of the Caspian ”, but the work was suspended due to financial difficulties. By 1995 the firm “Eco Consulting Engineers” (Italy) prepared a master plan for the reconstruction of the cargo port of Makhachkala on the commission of the firm “Girola”. The Environmental Assessment Council of the Republic of Daghestan evaluated this document. The State Innovation Program “Use of biological preparations in the control of chronic and accidental pollution of the territories and aquatories by oil and oil products” is rather interesting and promising with regard to the elimination of consequences of oil pollution. Implementation of this program envisages three main objectives: Development of measures for urgent liquidation of oil and oil product spillage (executed by the State Committee for Emergency Situations of Daghestan and organizations of potential polluters) Development of measures for the minimization of damage from oil pollution and for the rehabilitation of disturbed ecosystems (executed by the Ministry of Environment of Daghestan, Institute of Applied Ecology, joint-stock company “Synteco” and other Research institutions of Daghestan) Improvement of production technologies and use of biological preparations for cleaning up oil pollution (executives - joint-stock company “Synteco”, Institute of Applied Ecology). This program is based on the application of highly efficient biological preparations of the “Olevorin” type against accidental and chronic oil pollution. This technology emulates natural processes of self-purification in an intensified manner. Kalmykia plans to construct objects for water protection, as well as reconstruction, extension and start-up of new wastewater treatment facilities. Also the construction or repair of sewage system in towns and settlements and of industrial wastewater treatment facilities at enterprises is planned in order to reduce the volumes of untreated wastewater discharge into water bodies. The administration of the Astrakhan Oblast adopted in September 1994 resolutions, aimed at the creation of an integrated state system of environmental monitoring (ISSEM) in 1995 – 1997. This system shall provide hydrometeorological information and pollution monitoring. It shall inform the authorities and help them to alleviate the environmental situation of the Volga and its tributaries within the territory of the oblast. At the same time a special division will be formed for the liquidation of accidental oil spillage and other accidents in water transport. Studies, carried out since 1990, allowed to assess the situation and to elaborate measures for the improvement of the environmental situation in the region. The impact of discharges into the Volga from Astrakhan’s northern, southern and right-bank treatment facilities, which are insufficient in capacity, causes many problems. IAI “Biosphere” and the Special Inspection of the Laboratory of Analysis and Control (SILAC) of the Committee for Environment and Natural Resources of the Astrakhan Oblast do biological testing of wastewater to determine its toxicity. They also study processes, causing secondary pollution of surface water and soil, and assess the impact of wastewater on water bodies. Since the biological treatment facilities of Astrakhan (the southern, right-bank and northern) operate inefficiently, the concentration of pollutants in water, discharged to the rivers Volga and Pryamaya Bolda after treatment exceeds the MPC for almost all indices by ten times. Especially bad is the situation of the river Pryamaya Bolda. The discharge of pollutants into this river from the northern treatment facilities exceeds the combined discharge from southern and right-bank facilities to the Volga by five times, and the water volume of the river Pryamaya Bolda is almost an order of size smaller than that of the Volga. Diatomic and green algae are prevailing in the composition of phytoplankton. In the float of discharge from treatment facilities communities of phytoplankton undergo deep structural changes, and many area, located along the Pryamaya Bolda in its lower reaches, are subject to the impact of polluted water from the northern treatment facilities. In 1995 an environmental impact study for the construction and operation of the cargo port Zaburunny on the Ilmen near the village Olya in the Astrakhan Oblast was made. The joint-stock company “PomorGERS” (Tver) developed a program for the identification and removal of industrial pollution of water by oil and gas production and refining waste in the Caspian region of Russia. Following actions are suggested at the first stage of this program:
Use of pipelines instead of tankers for the transportation of oil products could contribute to the prevention of pollution of the Caspian by hydrocarbons.
Investments in the environment of the Caspian region The economic crisis in the early 1990s resulted in a rapid decrease of investments in environment protection by the government. In the Caspian region the situation has been aggravated complicated by the negative economic, social and environmental implications of the water level rise.
Daghestan Daghestan’s economic development has been based to a great extent on subsidies from federal sources (for example, in 1993 subsidies exceeded the local budget revenues twice). The decrease subsidies from federal and regional sources resulted in lower investment. Major sources of investments in economy of the Republic of Daghestan in 1993-1994:
Kalmykia In the 1990s investments in the coastal part of Kalmykia dropped rapidly. In 1992 the investment volume was 2,5 times under the maximum of the ten years before (which was in 1990), in 1994 it was 15 times lower than in 1990. During 1990-1994 the investment volume in the production sector dropped by more than 8 times and in other sectors by 30 times.
Astrakhan Oblast The crisis is less obvious in the Astrakhan Oblast than in other parts of the Russian Federation. In spite of decreasing investment this oblast has income from its oil and gas and fishery industries. In 1993-1995 activities on the project "Complex of urgent measures on prevention of flooding of towns, settlements, productive and non-productive objects, agricultural lands and other valuable lands, located in the coastal zone of the Caspian " have been implemented for protection of population and minimization of damage, caused by the Caspian Water-level rise. That project envisaged allocation of capital investments in the amount of 960 million $. However, actual allocations made up only 14% of the envisaged sum and the project has not been fully implemented. In 1996 the Government of the Russian Federation adopted “The Plan of priority measures for the years 1996-1997 on protection of population and prevention of flooding of economic and other objects, located on the Caspian shore”. The Federal budget and the State investment program for implementation of activities on the Plan envisaged investments in the amount of 33 million $, including 63 million $ - form the federal budget and 33 million $ - form budget of Federation subjects. Actual financing made up 1,8 million $, including 0,6 million $ form federal budget. In 1996 because of lack of financing works on the restoration and development of hydrometeorological service in the region were temporarily stopped, as well as construction of a number of objects, having sanitary and environmental importance. In 1997 it is planned to invest $ 34 million in further work on the “Plan”. In the Republic of Kalmykia a non-budgetary environmental fund has been created, which is formed of assignments of payments for environmental pollution, penalties and prosecutions for damage to the environment. The fund is being distributed as follows: 60% is used for environmental measures, 20% for the development of material and equipment for environmental agencies, 10% is assigned to the federal environmental fund and 10% for material incentives for the personnel. In 1994 157 million rubles were accrued to the Environmental Fund of Kalmykia. The environmental fund financed, in particular, the construction of waste deposits in the town of Lagan and purchases for the fishery inspection and for scientific Research. The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources of the Astrakhan Oblast has developed the regional “Program of complex use, neutralization and storage of domestic wastes and agricultural wastes of the Astrakhan Oblast”. But its implementation is very slow due to lack of financing. Thus, in 1994 only 30 million rubles were assigned for its realization from the oblast’s budget. The Governmental Commission on the Caspian problems and Council of Experts of the Government of the Russian Federation approved in 1996 the program for “Addressing social, economic and environmental problems, caused by the Caspian Water level”, but the program is not yet in operation. The total costs of the program make up approximately $3.3 billion, including $2.3 billion from the federal budget, $1.0 billion from the budgets of the subjects of the Russian Federation, local budgets and non-budgetary sources. $3.19 billion of the amount shall pay for capital investments and $110 million for expenditures. The program has three stages: stage I (1996-2000) - $ 395 million; stage II (2000-2005) - $1,320 million; stage III (2005-2010) - $ 1,585 million.
Regional Environmental Cooperation Interstate cooperation In the Joint Communiqu? (Tehran, October 1992) representatives of the Caspian states supported the initiative of creating the Organization on Cooperation of Caspian States. They agreed to create as soon as possible specialized committees on:
Later, the concept of cooperation of the Caspian states in addressing common and specific issues underwent certain changes. Already in the communiqu? of the participants of the Meeting on the Caspian Problems (Astrakhan, October 14, 1993) at the level of the Heads of Government of the Caspian states, the CIS members recognizing the Caspian as one environmental complex and showed interest in joint programs to provide adequate management of the Caspian water body. Participants of the Meeting also identified major fields of joint activities on protected areas and protection of natural resources of the Caspian, development of mineral resources with due account of economic interests of the parties, identification of rational ways for navigation, observing environmental requirements and the water-level. In the Declaration on cooperation on environmental protection of the Caspian region (Alma-Ata, May 26, 1994), adopted during the meeting of representatives of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation, it was mentioned that there is an urgent need for the conservation of the biological resources of the Caspian including specially protected areas and water bodies. The Declaration also appeals to the international community for supporting joint efforts of the Caspian states and for assistance in an environmental program. In the Minutes of the Meeting on the problems of protection of the environment in the Caspian region (Alma-Ata, May 26, 1994) the Parties stated the necessity of taking joint measures on implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio-de-Janeiro, 1992). The also expressed their interest in a joint project “Protection of Biological Diversity of the Caspian and its Coastal Zone” in regard to the intense development of mineral resources under the Caspian . Various aspects of international environmental cooperation in the region are touched upon in draft agreements, proposed by Caspian states, and related to formation of common mechanism of regional cooperation, conservation and use of biological resources, exploration and development of mineral resources, studies of water regime, protection of coastal zone, etc. Those aspects have been often reiterated at bilateral and multilateral meetings and negotiations and in declarations of the Presidents of the states of the region. Russia supports the approach to see the Caspian as an integral unique natural complex, exploitation of whose resources requires consideration of long-term interests of the of the Caspian region’s population. Among agreements, signed at the interstate level, is the Agreement “On the basis for joint activities of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Joint-Stock Company Oil Company LUKoil”. It was signed on September 17, 1993. This agreement regulates various geological prospecting activities, works on development of existing and new deposits and extraction of oil and gas on land and offshore, as well as issues related to the transportation of oil ad gas and their derivatives, export of oil and oil products and some other issues. In November 1993 that Agreement was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Russian Federation. It encompasses cooperation establishing joint ventures for prospecting and development of oil and gas deposits on the territory of. In January 1996 the Governments of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan signed a transit agreement for oil from Azerbaijan, extracted from the bottom of the Caspian , which will be exported via Russia. Other legal acts, adopted in different years by the Russian Federation and pertaining to environmental activities in the Caspian region, are aimed at the regulation of protection and reproduction of fish stock (1975), protection of sturgeons (1991, 1993) and transfer of a part of sturgeons, caught in the Volga, to other Caspian states (1994), remediation and prevention of flooding of towns and cities, settlements, economic and non-economic objects, agricultural lands and other valuable areas, located in the coastal zone of the Caspian (1993, 1995).
Cooperation with international organizations Since 1990 international organizations have shown interest in dealing with the environmental issues of the Caspian. As opposed to most national environmental organizations, as well as firms and enterprises with an economic interest in the region international environmental organizations focus more on interaction between the states of the region. Regional environmental cooperation in Caspian region is mainly implemented under the auspices of these international organizations, such as UNDP, UNEP, UNIDO, the World Bank, EBRD, EU/TACIS. The Russian Federation supports these efforts and participates in the implementation of international environmental initiatives in the Caspian region. A significant role in the development of international environmental cooperation in the region has UNEP, which has special programs for:
The objective of designing mechanisms for regional environmental cooperation in the Caspian region was formulated at the First Meeting of UNEP Regional Task Team on Implications of Climate Change in the Caspian Region (Moscow, 1994). A regional action plan has been proposed, similar to action plans within the Regional s Program of UNEP. The action plan on protection and management of the environment of the water body and coastal zone of the Caspian should include such components as assessment of the state of the environment, environmental management, environmental legislation, organizational and financial aspects of its implementation. As the first step for preparing an action plan in 1995 the states of the region prepared national reports on the implications of a climate change in the Caspian region. On the basis of those reports the action committee of UNEP compiled a regional overview, adopted at the second meeting of the action committee (Alma-Ata, September 1996). In the regional overview as the main task was named to outline a strategy for sustainable development (i.e., functioning of the economy, development of the social sphere and conservation of the integrity of ecosystems of the Caspian region) under the condition of water level fluctuations. Planning a long-term international program for protection and management of the environment of the Caspian requires significant time and investments. Resources allocated for these purposes by UNEP, Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Caspian states and specialized agencies of the UN are limited. Mobilization of additional funds from international and national donors will be necessary. Already a joint “Caspian initiative” of UNDP/UNEP/World Bank was established. Within the framework of that initiative those organizations proposed responsibilities of the governments of the riparian countries in a comprehensive integrated plan for the management of environment and resources of the Caspian. In 1995 a joint fact finding mission of representatives of the World Bank, UNDP and UNEP on the assessment of environmental situation in the Caspian region took place. It collected also scientific and other information for the preparation of a draft action plan for the Caspian within the framework of GEF. A project proposal, prepared by GEF, suggests integrated management of land and water resources of the Caspian region. Its major elements are:
It is envisaged to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the existing information on the sources and paths of border crossing pollution and to define adequate countermeasures, to identify endangered areas, ecosystems and endangered species, as well as biological resources of the Caspian , exposed to overexploitation.
The plan shall review existing national and regional environmental legislation strengthen the institutional, legal and regulating framework for environmental activities in Caspian region. Kazakhstan and the World Bank drafted the program “Protection of Biological Diversity of the Caspian and its Coastal Zone” in 1994. Its objective is conservation of biodiversity in the Northern Caspian under conditions of exploration, development and transportation of petroleum and natural gas. Program components include a management plan, an action plan for environmental protection, the adoption of legal acts, environmental education, training and scientific research. The project is scheduled over four years, its budget is US$ 35 million. It is based on the draft agreement on conservation and use of bioresources of the Caspian . In 1994 the Commission of the European Union (CEU) informed the Caspian CIS member states of its decision to allocate funds through its TACIS program for supporting environmental projects for Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan on the Caspian . In 1996 the project proposal “Environmental Management and Rehabilitation of the Caspian Basin” was submitted in order to assist Caspian states in managing the coastal zone, provide sustainable fishery (especially related to sturgeons), conserve the biodiversity in the region, monitor and reduce pollution of water bodies. The project will be coordinated with other regional projects and programs. A special section of the project is devoted to the issues of pollution, including such types of pollution, as eutrophication, pollution by toxic substances (heavy metals, pesticides residues, synthetic organic substances, and radionuclides). The project also deals with preventing an increase of pollution in the course of industrial development. In 1996 the meeting “Scientific, Environmental and Political Problems in the Countries, Adjacent to the Caspian ” was held in Moscow. The meeting was underwritten by the Consultative Council of NATO on Priority Topics of Environmental Safety and by the Assistant General Secretary of NATO. The objective of the meeting was the assessment of the state and preparation of recommendations for future research (with publication of the results in the NATO publication series). The project by Turkmenistan “Monitoring of the Level of Pollution of the Caspian from Industrial and Other Sources” was presented at the International Conference “Integration of Environmental Policy and Strategy of Economic Reforms in the Newly Independent States and the States of Central Europe”(Helsinki, 1996). At the first stage of the planned project it is envisaged to equip existing laboratories with instruments and tools, since the number and kind of instruments and equipment is not sufficient for an assessment of the environmental situation. Recommendations of the Paris (1995) Seminar of UNESCO/IAEA on Construction of Coastal Stations and Points are not fully followed. A draft interdisciplinary program for studying natural and anthropogenic processes in the Caspian region was prepared during a seminar of experts from Caspian states, UNESCO, WMO and IAEA on the problem of the Caspian Water-level rise, held in May 1995. The program includes:
The experience of international organizations with regional action, implemented in other parts of the world is a significant contribution to the solution of environmental problems in the region of the Caspian. These organizations could also help with specific projects on prevention and liquidation of environmentally damages resulting from industrial activities.
Turkmenistan Turkmenistan has not yet established the concept of cleaner industrial production. However, a number of reconstruction and modernization projects have been started. The Austrian company “A. Trade” reconstructs a manufacturing plant for bitumen, installing a capacity for 150,000 tons per year. The installations ELOU-AVT and VT-1 for primary processing of crude petroleum are being reconstructed with the purpose of increase the output of light petroleum products and decrease waste. “Karabogassulfate” expanded in 1996 the manufacturing capacity for chloromagnesium defoliant. On the Cheleken peninsula the factory of technical carbon has been stopped completely. The American company “Louis Berger and Associated, Inc.” will reconstruct the cargo port in Turkmenbashi to increase its capacity and make it environmentally sounder. The joint company “Larmag – Cheleken” does a feasibility and environmental impact study for the reconstruction of Cheleken’s port.
Existing international agreements
Planned international agreements
Environmental projects The institute "LenmorNIIProject" and firm "Violanda" completed 1991 the project study "Protection of the Cheleken peninsula from submerging and destruction ". The project represents step by step construction of coastal reinforcement and is divided into four stages on different sites:
The main problem for the realization of the project is the lack of adequate funds.
Cooperation to the international organizations Within the framework of the program IAEA, project RAW/8/004, research on the regional for studying the fluctuations of the level of the Caspian is conducted. The project is scheduled over two years, but may be continued in case of positive results. A research cruise on the Caspian with the ship “Alif Gadgiev”, belonging to Goscomhydromet Azerbaijan, was carried out. The participants of this expedition were experts for hydrology and hydrochemistry from all coastal states (Turkmenistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Iran), and also representatives of institutes and organizations interested in the problem of fluctuations of the level of Caspian, including:
Basic objectives of the project:
Development of the offers to cooperation under the decision of problems of protection of an environment in Caspian region. |
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