As a coastal nation along the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan has taken decisive actions to protect its environment. We have established the first marine protected area and declared the first hope spot in the Caspian Sea, marking a significant step towards marine conservation in the region, said Leyla Abdullayeva, Azerbaijani Ambassador to France, as she addressed the UN Ocean Conference held within the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14) framework on June 11 in Nice, France.
“In cooperation with the neighboring Caspian countries, we have agreed to a 10-year ban on sturgeon fishing to help restore and stabilize this iconic and endangered species. Recognizing their long-term ecological and economic value, we have also released millions of sturgeon fingerlings into the wild to support population recovery,” the diplomat noted.
Ambassador Abdullayeva also briefed the participants on Azerbaijan’s efforts towards preserving the ecosystem of the Caspian Sea, emphasizing the importance of addressing the common global challenges together.
“Last year, Azerbaijan, under the leadership and guidance of his Excellency Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, successfully hosted COP29 in Baku, a significant gathering addressing climate change, which is also inextricably linked with the oceans. COP29 demonstrated that despite initial divisions, with courage and conviction, positive collective action is indeed possible. Together, we demonstrated that unity and shared purpose could overcome division, delivering outcomes that can serve the common good of all humanity,” she said.
“Ahead of COP29, widespread uncertainty, deepened divisions, and mistrust threatened to derail the progress. Yet together, we overcame these obstacles, reinforcing multilateralism and achieving historic outcomes. The Baku Finance Goal to mobilise $300 billion annually by 2035 for developing countries, leaving no one behind. Operationalizing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement after a decade-long impasse. Launching the Loss and Damage Fund to support frontline communities and concluding many other key decisions vital for climate action,” Abdullayeva noted.
“Now we must bring that same determination to ocean protection here in Nice. We need a robust multilateral process and collective commitment to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030,” the ambassador added.
