Caspian Sea: State of the Environment 2019

areas as monitoring of transboundary water bodies, including the Ural River, improving the quality of transboundary water resources, pro- cedures for carrying out environmental impact assessments in a transboundary context and construction of a reservoir for the Bolshaya

in recent years. Over the past five years, large- scale landscape projects employing modern techniques have been implemented in the city of Baku and on the Absheron Peninsula. On a to- tal area of 3,776 ha, 4.8 million trees and shrubs have been planted, and a modern drip irrigation system installed for all planted areas. A hazard- ous waste landfill site was built near Sumgayit to process hazardous waste in accordance with in- ternational norms and standards. Azerbaijan has undertaken significant efforts in recent years to mitigate the effects of climate change. It signed the Paris Agreement of the UN- FCCC (2015), which requires a 35 per cent re- duction in greenhouse gas emissions (compared with the 1990 level) by 2030. Azerbaijan has adopted a State Programme on the Use of Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources and set up a State Agency on Alterna- tive and Renewable Energy Sources (SAARES). By 2030, Azerbaijan plans to increase the share of renewable energy used in electricity generation to 25 per cent. Iran passed the Clean Air Act on 9 August 2017, replacing the previous law on air pollution. The new act covers a wider range of pollution sourc- es, including ships (Nachmany et al. 2018). As a member of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MAR- POL Convention), Iran closely monitors compli- ance with the requirements of the Convention’s annexes. Moreover, with the entry into force of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (Ballast Water Management Conven- tion) in September 2017, the Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization, in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency, monitors im- plementation of this convention at Iranian ports (PMO 2017). Iran has plans to develop the Sardar-e Jangal oil and gas fields in the future. In November 2017, the country signed a memorandum of under- standing with Norway, setting out an intent to cooperate and gain access to essential technolo- gy. This could boost the attractiveness of Caspian

Uzen and Malaya Uzen rivers) 7.3. National governance

Countries are actively improving national envi- ronmental management, including by strength- ening institutional structures and national envi- ronmental legislation. The National Strategy of the Republic of Azerbai- jan on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Bio- diversity for 2017–2020 was approved in 2016. Combined with the promotion of reforms in this area, the national strategy will have a positive impact on boosting cooperation between inter- national organizations and governments on bio- diversity and general environmental protection activities (National Contribution). The Azerbaijan 2020: A Look into the Future development concept was adopted in 2012. It focuses on developing renewable energy sources to diversify and strengthen the economy of Azer- baijan to enable sustainable development. This document seeks to: • provide incentives for the accelerated develop- ment of alternative renewable energy sources • create a satisfactory institutional environment • strengthen the potential of renewable energy sources • train experts and raise public awareness about the use of renewable energy sources • introduce flexible tariffs for renewable energy sources to encourage private-sector involve- ment Azerbaijan hosted the first, inaugural Session of the Commission for the Conservation and Sus- tainable Use of Aquatic Biological Resources and the Management of Shared Stocks of Such Re- sources on 21–23 November 2017 in Baku (Na- tional Contribution). Forest cover in Azerbaijan has increased from 11.4 to 12 per cent of the country’s total territory

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