The Caspian Sea holds 44 per cent of the Earth’s inland waters and supports millions of people through fisheries, transport and coastal livelihoods. Yet its future is under growing threat.

Pollution from industrial activities and oil production continues to degrade water quality. Biodiversity is rapidly declining. The Caspian seal and sturgeon – species found nowhere else on Earth – have suffered dramatic population losses, undermining both the region's ecological balance and the local economies that depend on them.

Financed by the Global Environment Facility, implemented by the World Bank and executed by UNOPS, the Blueing the Caspian Sea: Building Capacities for Pollution Monitoring and Biodiversity Planning project brings together scientists, industries, communities and government officials from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to address these urgent environmental challenges.

The project will strengthen pollution monitoring and biodiversity conservation, and support governments in improving the management of more than 278,000 hectares of marine protected areas that serve as vital habitats for endangered species.

Healthier ecosystems will help restore fish stocks, supporting food security and livelihoods for coastal communities while opening new economic opportunities in sustainable sectors.

Read more here.