Rauf Hajiyev: Caspian Sea level changes need broader assessment

Climate adaptation cannot be viewed merely as a separate set of environmental measures.

Report informs that Azerbaijan's Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Rauf Hajiyev said this during his speech at a high-level dialogue titled "Climate-Resilient Cities and Communities in the Caspian Region: Vertical Climate Financing for Urban Adaptation," held as part of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.

According to him, this issue is directly linked to urban planning, water resource management, coastal area planning, environmental security, biodiversity protection, infrastructure resilience and people's quality of life:

"Changes in the Caspian Sea level should be viewed not only as a hydrometeorological indicator, but also as a broader environmental, socio-economic and urban resilience issue. This process affects the state of ecosystems in coastal areas, aquatic biological resources, the safety of coastal infrastructure, port and transport-logistics activities, tourism and recreation opportunities, as well as long-term development plans for cities and settlements.

"In this regard, the main approach is that adaptation measures should not be limited to reacting only to consequences that have already occurred. Risks should be identified in advance, decisions should be based on reliable data, and adaptation measures should be developed based on the principle of preventive planning."

The deputy minister noted that the key issue here is that decisions on the Caspian Sea should be based not on episodic observations, but on long-term data series, scientific analysis, comparative modeling and regional data exchange:

"Another important area is adapting infrastructure in Caspian coastal cities to climate risks. This is not only about building new facilities. Renewing drainage systems, managing rainwater, planning areas according to risk and expanding green zones are key parts of this process."