Kazakhstan says it has allocated $2.2 million to strengthen scientific monitoring of the Caspian Sea amid growing concern over falling water levels, biodiversity loss and rising industrial pressure on the world’s largest inland body of water.
The funds will be used to purchase equipment for offshore monitoring and to upgrade hydrobiological and hydrochemical laboratories. According to the government, the investment will allow the institute to move towards comprehensive monitoring directly in the sea’s waters, including systematic observation of hydrometeorological and biological indicators, strengthening the scientific basis for policy decisions.
At the same time, the institute says it's expanding international cooperation by joining the Association of Universities and Research Centres of Caspian littoral states. The Cabinet of Ministers has stressed that without coordinated action among all countries bordering the sea, effective conservation measures will remain difficult to achieve.
The project is under direct government oversight. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has instructed the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources to ensure the full implementation of Caspian-related research, while the Ministry of Finance has been tasked with strict control over the targeted use of the allocated funds.
The Caspian Sea remains a strategic natural asset for Kazakhstan. With a coastline stretching 2,320 km, the longest among all Caspian states, the country bears particular responsibility for the condition of the sea, which plays a significant role in the economic and social development of western regions.
Scientific assessments point to increasingly alarming trends. According to Kazakh researchers, the level of the Caspian Sea is showing a persistent decline and could approach minus 33 metres by 2050, while a drop to minus 28.5 metres is already considered critical for both the ecosystem and maritime economic activity.
Environmental experts link the degradation to climate change, reduced river inflows due to water regulation, expanding oil extraction and transportation, and pollution from ships’ ballast water. Scientists warn that continued sea level decline could have irreversible consequences for the region, prompting growing calls for a multinational conservation coalition involving all five Caspian states to prevent the sea from following the path of the Aral Sea.
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near...
The United Nations' top human rights official has called for independent investigations into deaths in U.S. immigration detention facilities, citing a...
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead a...
An aircraft roughly the size of a car crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday evening, triggering a major emergency response and a heavy p...
Montenegrin police, working alongside the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation, have arrested an Iranian national accused of carrying out a ...
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near Oman, with two U.S. officials accusing Iran of the attack.
The United Nations' top human rights official has called for independent investigations into deaths in U.S. immigration detention facilities, citing a rise in fatalities among people held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
An aircraft roughly the size of a car crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday evening, triggering a major emergency response and a heavy police presence as authorities sealed off the area and gave no immediate explanation for the incident.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Japan's northeast coast on Thursday, but no tsunami warning was issued, no injuries were immediately reported and no irregularities were found at nuclear facilities, the authorities said.
As Western Europe battles a deadly heatwave that has shattered temperature records, disrupted transport and power supplies, and forced the closure of schools and cultural landmarks, attention is turning to whether El Niño is playing a role in the extreme conditions.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
The Kremlin has denied a Wall Street Journal report claiming Moscow is pressuring Belarus to support an expanded Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near Oman, with two U.S. officials accusing Iran of the attack.
Kazakhstan has not received an official request from Russia for petrol supplies, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said, as fuel shortages and sales restrictions in Russia raise concerns over fuel supplies across Central Asia.
Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday (26 June) condemned as "interventionist, irresponsible and provocative" a statement issued following a joint meeting of foreign ministers from the U.S. and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Manama, Bahrain.
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo, marking another milestone in the carrier's long-term fleet modernisation programme aimed at improving efficiency, expanding capacity and enhancing the passenger experience.
Pakistan is seeking to revive economic ties with Iran by reopening transport links and reassessing imports of discounted Iranian crude oil, as recent regional de-escalation raises hopes of broader economic cooperation.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment