The International Environmental Forum "On the Caspian Wave" has finished at Dagestan State University, cementing its role as a key platform for cross-border dialogue on the future of the Caspian Sea. The event gathered scientists, policymakers and environmental experts from all five littoral states—Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan—to address the region’s most pressing ecological challenges.

Central to the discussions were two interrelated crises: the accelerating decline in the Caspian Sea’s water level and the sharp population drop of the endemic Caspian seal. In his opening remarks, DSU Rector Murtazali Rabadanov emphasized the urgent need for a coordinated regional response to these threats.

Participants moved beyond diagnosis to propose actions. Key initiatives included a Russian-led program to model sea-level fluctuations, an Iranian proposal to establish an international Caspian seal conservation task force and a Kazakhstani project to develop a collaborative “Digital Caspian Atlas.” Dagestani delegates called for enhanced political oversight, including the creation of a dedicated interparliamentary commission, while Dagestan State University introduced a concept for a unified, high-tech international monitoring system focused on the Caspian seal.

The forum ended with a clear consensus: safeguarding the Caspian Sea ecosystem requires the enduring integration of scientific research and political cooperation across all five coastal nations. Participants agreed that only through sustained, joint strategy and coordinated action can the region’s ecological future be secured.