The UN Coordinator in Iran, Christine Waigand, stated that protecting the Caspian Sea is not only an environmental priority but also a sustainable development priority, as the ecological problems of this transboundary water body require joint and coordinated solutions.
These remarks were made by her at the seventh meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP7) to the Tehran Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea, held in Tehran on Wednesday.
The meeting of five coastal states around a common ecosystem provides a significant opportunity to strengthen regional cooperation and turn common commitments into practical steps for the preservation of the Caspian Sea.
Emphasizing that 2026 will mark the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Tehran Convention, the UN representative noted that the Caspian Sea has supported life and civilizations for millennia, remaining a source of livelihood, well-being, an important transport route, a valuable reservoir of natural resources, and a habitat for unique marine biodiversity.
Waigand stressed that the health of the sea is directly linked to the welfare and livelihoods of adjacent communities, economic activity, sustainable natural resource management, and regional sustainability, adding that environmental challenges are not limited by national borders.
She specified that marine pollution, loss of biodiversity, and growing pressure on common ecosystems have transboundary consequences and therefore require cross-border and joint solutions.
Christine Waigand described the Tehran Convention as an important framework for joint action by coastal states, which promotes the development of scientific knowledge, data and experience exchange, the development of effective policies, and the implementation of common commitments into collective action.
She also highlighted the role of the UN in supporting environmental cooperation in the region, noting that the Secretariat of the Tehran Convention is hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and various UN agencies operating in the region use their additional expertise to support coastal states in achieving the convention's goals.
In Iran, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNEP are working with national and local partners under a broader Caspian Sea initiative to translate regional commitments to combat marine litter and plastic pollution into concrete actions. Among the measures implemented under this initiative are strengthening waste separation and recycling in coastal communities, promoting circular approaches to plastics, and providing community-level grants for local solutions.
The UN Coordinator also emphasized the need to involve the private sector and local communities, including women and youth, in improving waste management systems. She concluded that protecting the seas is a shared responsibility, and no single country, institution, or organization can protect this unique ecosystem alone.