Caspian Sea 2011

State of the Environment of the Caspian Sea

protection, including: The procedure of organiza- tion and management of production control for protection of water bodies and air; instructions for calculating emissions, discharges and indus- trial waste at the transport and storage facilities; Design Guide for the section “Measures for envi- ronmental protection” in the design documenta- tion for construction of gas distribution objects and other regulatory documents. In order to implement the provisions of water leg- islation of the Russian Federation and normative acts of the Government by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in 2009, a number of legal documents, including: Methods of calculat- ing the amount of damage caused to water bodies due to violation of water legislation; Guidelines for the establishment of sampling (withdrawal) quo- ta from a water facility and wastewater discharge quota, the relevant quality standards, within the boundaries of river basins, sub-basins and water areas, as well as the Conduct of the monitoring of the volume of intake (withdrawal) of water from water bodies and the volume of wastewater and (or) drainage water and their quality by owners of water bodies and water users. Air emissions Azerbaijan approved measures in 2008 that aim to improve air quality; these measures include enhanced forest management throughout the country, and the extension of green zones in and around Baku. The Government of Turkmenistan has organized the planting of circa 200 thousand trees in the coastal zone. Solid waste Azerbaijan has adopted rules governing the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes. Improving waste management in Baku, in line with modern standards, was another solid waste management measure undertaken. Other documents A number of other legislative documents have been adopted which contribute to the implemen- tation of Environmental Quality Objectives. How-

ever, they do not apply to the environmental pres- sures and problems identified in this report, as they tend to be general in nature and not specific to a particular issue. Among these documents is the legislation of Azerbaijan on standards of noise and vibration pollution, which can contribute to the sustainable development of coastal communities. The Russian Federation ’s Energy Strategy up to 2030 will significantly improve energy security for Caspian Sea communities. The signing of “International Convention on Pro- tection of Human Life on the Sea” by Turkmeni- stan will provide security for Caspian Sea commu- nities during emergencies. In 2009 Turkmenistan has adopted a new Sanitary Code, sanitary stand- ards of which cover the whole spectrum of possi- ble effects of environmental conditions on human health, environmental health and environmental safety. Policy changes While some policy initiatives adopted by some countries are aimed at bringing about change throughout the nation, and are not solely aimed at the Caspian Sea, other policy initiatives have a more specific approach. Azerbaijan has endorsed the State Programme for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development in the Azerbaijan Republic covering the period 2008- 2015. The programme has a strong environmental component, aiming to increase protected areas to 12% (from 11.5% in 2007), reduce greenhouse emis- sions in the power sector by 20%, achieve full treat- ment of sewage and wastewater throughout the country, together with various other goals. These activities will definitely have a positive environmen- tal impact on the Caspian Sea region. Another policy document is the State Pro- gramme for the Socio-economic Development of the regions of the Azerbaijan Republic for the period 2009-2013 (2009). This document includes measures related to the treatment of wastewater,

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