Aktau: Local communities and environmental activists in Kazakhstan are raising concerns over the alarming decline of the Caspian Sea's water levels and increasing pollution, attributing the crisis to climate change, dam construction along the Volga River, regional energy extraction, and heavy maritime traffic.
According to Anadolu Agency, experts report that the Caspian Sea's water level has dropped significantly over the past decade, leading to a sharp decrease in biodiversity. Vadim Ni, founder of the Save The Caspian Sea Ecological Movement, highlighted how the sea is becoming lifeless due to shallowing, pollution, and the loss of fish species. The Volga River, which feeds the Caspian, is delivering insufficient water due to declining rainfall and dam construction, causing the sea's receding levels.
Ni noted the decline of sturgeon, a once-prized delicacy, and the deaths of Caspian seals, with thousands found dead on Kazakhstan's and Russia's shores. Birds are similarly affected. The sea's shrinkage and pollution have severely impacted life in Aktau, a Kazakh port city on the eastern coast of the Caspian.
Nurziya Satimova, a local resident, described how the sea has visibly retreated over the past decade, moving hundreds of meters away from its previous shoreline. Born and raised in Aktau, she wishes for her children to experience the Caspian's waves as she did.
In response to the crisis, civil society organizations in Aktau have launched initiatives to raise awareness about the Caspian's ecological challenges. A fashion show by the Save The Caspian Sea movement and the annual 'TazaFest' environmental festival by Eco Mangistau are drawing attention to these threats. Jasmine Vadodaria, a 16-year-old resident, participates in these efforts, emphasizing the dangers of plastic pollution to the sea's ecosystem.
The deteriorating state of the Caspian Sea has also caught the attention of the Kazakh government. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in his address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, warned that the Caspian's rapid retreat is a global environmental alarm. The issue is expected to be a key agenda item at the UN Regional Climate Summit in Astana next April.
Covering about 370,000 square kilometers, the Caspian Sea is bordered by Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Iran. It is recognized as the world's largest enclosed body of water and known for its rich oil reserves. However, experts estimate that the sea's level has fallen by nearly two meters over the past 20 years, posing serious concerns for Kazakhstan, which holds the longest stretch of the Caspian coastline.