In the run-up to the UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) in Turkmenistan, environmental issues in the Caspian Sea are being discussed. Scientists note that the sea level has dropped by two metres over the past 25 years and could fall by another 18 metres by 2100. This threatens the ecosystem, causing soil salinisation, fish stocks to decline and rare species to disappear. This was reported by the online publication TerraNews.

The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water with a unique natural environment. It is home to more than 400 endemic species, including sturgeon and Caspian seals. The Turkmen coast plays a key role in preserving biodiversity – for example, hundreds of thousands of birds overwinter in the Hazar Nature Reserve.

Turkmenistan is actively addressing environmental issues. The country is building infrastructure in line with international standards, such as the port of Turkmenbashi and factories in Garabogaz. Large-scale greening programmes are being implemented, and parks and artificial forests are being created. The country supports the Tehran Convention on the Protection of the Caspian Sea and participates in the ‘Caspian Environmental Initiative’. Since 2019, the Caspian Sea Institute has been operating, studying the ecosystem and proposing solutions for its preservation. World experts note Turkmenistan's contribution to the protection of the region's unique nature.