Japan has partnered with the United Nations Development Program to support Kazakhstan’s efforts to address the decline in water levels in the Caspian Sea due to climate change, and has pledged a grant of 465 million yen (US$3 million) for its sustainable use.
Under the initiative of the world’s largest inland water body, Japan hopes to strengthen cooperation among coastal countries in managing water resources and strengthen monitoring systems, according to the Foreign Ministry. A drop in water levels in the Caspian Sea could have a huge impact on regional logistics and ecosystems.
Japanese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Yasumasa Iijima and UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan Katarzyna Wawernia signed the agreement on the initiative in Astana in late May.
The Caspian Sea is “one of the most important ecological regions in Eurasia” that supports the livelihoods of millions of people, UNDP said in its press release.
But in recent years, rising temperatures have reduced the Caspian Sea’s water volume and river flows, leading to a rapid decline and concerns about disruption to maritime transport and the possible extinction of endemic species.
