Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea
Encyclopedia
Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea is a regional convention signed by the official representatives of the five littoral Caspian
states: Azerbaijan
, Iran
, Kazakhstan
, Russian Federation and Turkmenistan
in Tehran (Iran) on 4 November 2003. The Framework Convention, also called Tehran Convention, entered into force on 12 August 2006.
The objective of this convention as stated in its Article 2 is “the protection of the Caspian environment from all sources of pollution including the protection, preservation, restoration and sustainable
and rational use of the biological resources of the Caspian Sea”.
In accordance with Articles 7 - 11 of the Convention the Parties undertake an obligation to take measures to prevent, reduce and control pollution from the land-based sources, seabed activities, vessels, as well as pollution from other human activities including land reclamation and associated coastal dredging and construction of dams.
Convention also provides for appropriate measures to prevent the introduction into the Caspian Sea and to control and combat invasive
alien species, which threaten ecosystem
s, habitat
s or species
.
The Parties also take preventive, preparedness and response measures to protect the environment and human beings from consequences of natural and man-made environmental emergencies, cooperate in setting up early warning systems and ensure the availability of adequate equipment and qualified personnel for combatting environmental emergencies. The Parties also agree to carry out environmental impact assessment
s of hazardous activities capable of causing environmental emergencies or adverse effects on environment within their jurisdiction
.
The Parties also undertake to ensure the protection, preservation, restoration and rational use of marine biological resources in the Caspian Sea; strive to maintain or restore populations of marine species at levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield
; prevent over-exploitation of marine resources and protect endemic
, rare and endangered marine species
and vulnerable ecosystems.
The 2003 Convention also provides for cooperation of the Parties in environmental monitoring
, developing harmonised discharge and emission standards, conducting environmental research and development and exchanging environmental information.
A regularly convened Conference of the Parties and a permanent Secretariat were established by the Tehran Convention.
To date, the following four Protocols to the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea were drafted by Secretariat and discussed at the sessions of the Conference, but have not yet been signed:
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
states: Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, Russian Federation and Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
in Tehran (Iran) on 4 November 2003. The Framework Convention, also called Tehran Convention, entered into force on 12 August 2006.
The objective of this convention as stated in its Article 2 is “the protection of the Caspian environment from all sources of pollution including the protection, preservation, restoration and sustainable
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
and rational use of the biological resources of the Caspian Sea”.
In accordance with Articles 7 - 11 of the Convention the Parties undertake an obligation to take measures to prevent, reduce and control pollution from the land-based sources, seabed activities, vessels, as well as pollution from other human activities including land reclamation and associated coastal dredging and construction of dams.
Convention also provides for appropriate measures to prevent the introduction into the Caspian Sea and to control and combat invasive
Invasive
Invasive may refer to:*A military invasion*An invasive species*An invasive medical procedure*The invasively progressive spread of disease from one organ in the body to another, especially in reference to cancer...
alien species, which threaten ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
s, habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s or species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
.
The Parties also take preventive, preparedness and response measures to protect the environment and human beings from consequences of natural and man-made environmental emergencies, cooperate in setting up early warning systems and ensure the availability of adequate equipment and qualified personnel for combatting environmental emergencies. The Parties also agree to carry out environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
s of hazardous activities capable of causing environmental emergencies or adverse effects on environment within their jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
.
The Parties also undertake to ensure the protection, preservation, restoration and rational use of marine biological resources in the Caspian Sea; strive to maintain or restore populations of marine species at levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield
Sustainable yield
The sustainable yield of natural capital is the ecological yield that can be extracted without reducing the base of capital itself, i.e. the surplus required to maintain ecosystem services at the same or increasing level over time. This yield usually varies over time with the needs of the...
; prevent over-exploitation of marine resources and protect endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
, rare and endangered marine species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
and vulnerable ecosystems.
The 2003 Convention also provides for cooperation of the Parties in environmental monitoring
Environmental monitoring
Environmental monitoring describes the processes and activities that need to take place to characterise and monitor the quality of the environment...
, developing harmonised discharge and emission standards, conducting environmental research and development and exchanging environmental information.
A regularly convened Conference of the Parties and a permanent Secretariat were established by the Tehran Convention.
To date, the following four Protocols to the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea were drafted by Secretariat and discussed at the sessions of the Conference, but have not yet been signed:
- Protocol on Land-Based Sources of Pollution
- Protocol Concerning Regional Cooperation in Case of Emergency
- Protocol on EIA in a Transboundary Context
- Protocol on Protection of the Caspian Biodiversity.
External links
- Framework Convention text http://www.caspianenvironment.org/newsite/Convention-FrameworkConventionText.htm