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The coastal wetlands of the Caspian Sea include many
shallow, saline pools, which attract a variety of birdlife and
biodiversity, over 400 species are unique to the Caspian. As the
largest inland body of water on earth, the Caspian Sea, which is
surrounded by Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakstan, Russia, and
Turkmenistan, is also home to the famous osyetr, the Russian term
for sturgeon, which produce the eggs necessary for the caviar
industry.
Russians appear to be the
greatest polluters. They create 80% of the Caspian pollution.
Subsequently, Azerbaijan produces some of the worst kinds of
pollutions because of their outdated oil refineries and other oil
installations in the Caspian Sea. Kazakstan and Turkmenistan follow
closely behind Azerbaijan in the pollution production.
The Caspian's
sturgeon catch has decreased dramatically in recent years, from
30,000 tons in 1985 to 13,300 tons in 1990 and then to as low as
2,100 tons in 1994.
In
addition, the northern Caspian is home to more the 80% of the
Caspian's netted fish, and is characterized by relatively shallow
waters and the lack of currents, making it more difficult to
regenerate its natural resources in the event of an environmental
problem. Tanker traffic and trans-Caspian pipelines potentially
could impact fish migration routes.
The collapse of the Soviet Union exposed the
administration's poor environmental record in the Caspian. Rusty
derricks, poisoned soil and water, pools of oil scum, and well fires
that burned for years were byproducts of the Soviets' oil
exploitation in the Caspian region, and many Soviet-era wells remain
in place.
Although oil production
and development have taken place in present-day Azerbaijan for more
than 100 years, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, along with the
discovery of significant new oil and gas reserves in the Caspian
region, led to heightened interest and concern for the environment
in the region. While the economic decline that accompanied the
breakup of the Soviet Union has reduced industrial production in the
region and the resultant flow of contaminants into the Caspian,
years of neglect have left the sea in a precarious position
environmentally.
Existing
oil drilling in the sea is a major cause of
pollution. The US Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan
reports that one can see oily
film on the sea's surface. Another problem is the flaring of
natural gas; about 4.5 million cubic meters a day. Natural gas
flares, however, can be contained with the appropriate western
technology. While the Caspian Sea is less polluted than the Black Sea,
much needs to be done to lessen the harmful environmental effects
of oil drilling, and the potential disastrous effects of the rising
Caspian Sea.
The most
acute soil degradation problems are on the Absheron Peninsula in
 Azerbaijan, where a century's worth of oil production has left the
land heavily contaminated. Little environmental consideration was
given to industrial and energy development, with
disastrous consequences. Oil production has left behind vast areas
of wasteland, with standing oil ponds and severely contaminated
soil, a shore along Baku Bay that is black with oil residue, and
high levels of pollution in the Caspian Sea.
Thousands of dead seals have been
found along Kazakstan’s Caspian Sea coast, in an outbreak that
officials blame on unusually warm weather. But environmental experts
say is connected to oil pollution. Workers have collected and
destroyed the bodies of 11,000 dead seals. Problems of Caspian
Sea’s pollution can be divided into three main types:
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Chemical pollution by the running
rivers.
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Ecological problems, connected to
the rise of the level of water.
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Offshore oil industry.
In
response, Prime Minister Nurlan Balgimbayev of Kazakstan has stated
that all foreign companies interested in the Caspian Sea must be
ready to meet guidelines on environmental safety.
However, Azerbaijan is becoming more
concerned with environmental issues. In September 1998,
representatives of SOCAR, the Azeri state-run oil industry, observed
an oil spill exercise conducted by Briggs Marine Environmental
Services, which has agreed to train crews from Azerbaijan on the use
of oil spill response measures. In addition, World Bank
representatives have met with officials in Baku to launch an
emergency Environmental Investment Project.
Modern
technology
Owes ecology
An apology.
~Alan M. Eddison~
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