Annex 2

COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON HYDROMETEOROLOGY AND POLLUTION MONITORING OF THE CASPIAN SEA (CASPCOM)

Action Plan for 2007-2009

Adopted at the 12th CASPCOM Session
(Baku, Azerbaijan Republic, 17-18 December 2007)

Introduction

The Action Plan for 2007-2009 is developed in accordance with decisions 3.1 and 3.2 of 11th CASPCOM Session, which have considered the results of implementation of CASPCOM Action Plan for 2004-2006 and prolonged its realization on 2007-2009 taking into consideration the improvements and amendments made by the Session participants. Those amendments: a) are not related to five main directions of CASPCOM activities formulated in the previous Plan; b) are focused on making activities more specific; c) take into account national and joint achievements in the field of hydrometeorology and pollution monitoring of the Caspian Sea.

1. Measures for development regulative basis for successful functioning of the regional system for integrated monitoring of statue and pollution of the Caspian Sea

1. Complete reconciliation and signing “Agreement on cooperation between the Caspian littoral states in the field of hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea”.
2. Harmonize standards and norms of the Caspian countries for conducting marine and coastal hydrometeorological observations.
3. Develop annual CASPCOM plans of operative hydrometeorological information exchange on the basis of national catalogues on delivering data intended for dissemination in the Caspian region.

1. Measures for development of joint observation system of the Caspian littoral states with observation data accessible to all Caspian countries

1. Update information on the Caspian littoral states networks of hydrometeorological stations operative in the Caspian region in the specific rubric of the CASCOM web-site.
2. Coordinate plans on development of the Caspian states networks of hydrometeorological stations including observations from ships as well as stationary, drifting and diving buoys. 
3. Enhance cooperation between CASPCOM and organizations of Framework Convention on protection of the marine environment of the Caspian Sea.

3. Measures for material maintenance of establishing and functioning of regional system for monitoring state and pollution of the Caspian Sea

1. Modernize the national systems of monitoring state and pollution of the Caspian Sea within the framework of national programmes (including those funded by international foundations).
2. Develop cooperation of NHMS and CASPCOM with national and transnational oil companies with the aim of improving economic effectiveness of activities in the field of hydrometeorology and monitoring of the Caspian Sea.
3. Prepare and implement NHMS’ joint projects and CASPCOM’s projects in the field of hydrometeorology and monitoring of the Caspian Sea under financing from international foundations.

4. Activities aimed at preparation and release of periodicals containing assessment of the Caspian Sea status according to the data provided by NHMS of the Caspian countries

4.1. Post current and prognostic information on the Caspian Sea status on web-sites of the Caspian states
4.2. Prepare and issue the General Catalogue of the Caspian Sea level and annual Reference Guide on hydrometeorological regime of the Caspian Sea.

5. Cooperation with WMO, IOC UNESCO and regional non-governmental organizations

5.1. Establish links and organize cooperation between CASPCOM and WMO-IOC JCOMM.
5.2. Establish links and organize cooperation between CASPCOM and Global Ocean Observation System (GOOS) IOC UNESCO.
5.3. Establish contacts and actualize cooperation with non-governmental organizations (including international NGOs) in the Caspian Sea region.

6. Implementation mechanism for CASPCOM Action Plan

Implementation mechanism for the above-cited measures implies establishing and functioning Working and Editing Groups of CASPCOM as well as inclusion of those measures and recommendations of CASPCOM Sessions into plans and programmes of NHMS.