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Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder and head of IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action) Public Union, participated in a roundtable discussion titled “Caspian Sea Basin: Assessing and Mitigating the Risks of Tipping Points” held as part of COP29 Azerbaijan. The event was co-organized by Baku International Sea Trade Port JSC (Port of Baku), ADA University, IDEA Campaign, Caspian Integrated Scientific Network (Caspian Integrated Scientific Network - CASPISNET), the University of California (UCLA), and the United Nations Environment Program (UN Environment Programme).

In her address, Leyla Aliyeva emphasized the importance of protecting the Caspian Sea’s marine environment. She highlighted the environmental challenges faced by the Caspian Sea, including threats to seals, sturgeon, and salmon populations. Leyla Aliyeva also detailed IDEA’s conservation efforts, such as the “Rich Basins” and “One Drop” projects, as well as initiatives related to Gizilaghaj National Park, which was established in partnership with the Blue Marine Foundation and serves as the first marine protected area in the Caspian Sea region. In her closing remarks, Leyla Aliyeva underlined the need for ongoing monitoring and analysis to safeguard the Caspian Sea’s unique ecological system. She called on international experts and research centres to collaborate on joint projects and initiatives. Other speakers at the roundtable included Taleh Ziyadov, Director-General of Port of Baku; Ghalib Israfilov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva; and Pascal Peduzzi, Director of GRID-Geneva at UNEP, among others, who shared their insights on the topic.

In conclusion, the announcement was made about the establishment of the Caspian Center for Climate and Resilience (CCCR) under the auspesis of the Port of Baku which aims to study the diverse challenges facing the Caspian Sea and propose potential solutions.