Recommendations
of the 17-th Session of Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology
and Pollution Monitoring of the Caspian Sea

The 17th Session of Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology and Pollution Monitoring of the Caspian Sea (CASPCOM) was held in Astana, the Republic of Kazakhstan, 16-17 October 2012.

Representatives of national meteorological and hydrological services (NMHSs) from the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, the World Meteorological Organization, the Interim Secretariat of the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea, governmental structures, research and economic institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan participated in the Session.

The Session has agreed that the main results of activities of the Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology and Pollution Monitoring of the Caspian Sea in 2011-2012 are as follows:

CASPCOM bulletins on the state of the Caspian Sea level containing the assessment of the actual and projected seasonal changes of the sea level;
a new electronic version of the General Catalogue of the Caspian Sea level complemented with the data on the Iranian sea coast received from the IRIMO;
the first part of the Catalogue of the Caspian Sea water temperature, including the data on the North Caspian for the period 1989 - 2011;
the hydrometeorological atlas of the Caspian Sea, supplemented with new charts, covering almost all the meteorological, oceanographic and hydrological parameters of the Caspian Sea which have been observed for a long time;
the updated “Guide to Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea” posted at CASPCOM website, supplemented with new information resources which appeared recently;
the published materials of CASPCOM Scientific Conference "Climate and Water Balance Changes in the Caspian Region" which was held in 2010 in Astrakhan;
national achievements in the field of hydrometeorology and monitoring of the Caspian Sea which provide the basis for enhancing NHMSs’ cooperation and increasing its efficiency.

1. CASPCOM activities and national activities addressing high priority problems in hydrometeorology and pollution monitoring of the Caspian Sea (Agenda Items ## 2, 3)

Having appreciated CASPCOM activities, as well as the national activities addressing high priority problems in hydrometeorology and pollution monitoring of the Caspian Sea in 2011-2012; the Session recommends the following:

1.1 To post the reports presented at the Session and NMHSs' presentations on the national activities addressing high priority problems in hydrometeorology and pollution monitoring of the Caspian Sea at CASPCOM website.
1.2 To display an updated General Catalogue of the Caspian Sea level at CASPCOM website with the exception of maximal and minimal levels.
1.3 NMHS to inform CASPAS Coordinator on national informational resources in the field of hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea (both in printed and electronic form) created by their own institutions or by other organizations for placing links to them at the CASPCOM website.
1.4 By 1 September 2013, NMHS to prepare and submit to the CASPAS Coordinator brief reviews of the Objectives, methods and results of the expeditions planned in 2012-2013 to implement on their own or jointly with other organizations in the Caspian Sea and the mouths of the inflowing rivers.
Based on these materials, CASPAS Coordinator will prepare the report on the state-of-the art of marine research to present at the forthcoming CASPCOM Session

2. Status of process of agreeing upon and preparation for signing of the “Agreement on cooperation among the Caspian states in the field of the Caspian Sea hydrometeorology” in the Caspian states (Agenda Item # 4).

2.1. Considering on the five Parties’ basis the process of agreeing upon and preparation for signing of the “Agreement on cooperation between the Caspian states in the field of the Caspian Sea hydrometeorology” the Session notes that all the five NMHS have not had any corrections or amendments to the text of the Agreement approved by the participants of the 15th CASPCOM Session with editorial remarks by Iranian NMHS in 2010 (Annex 1).

Taking this into account the Session recommends NHMS:

To speed up the national procedures of the endorsement of the Agreement informing their respective governmental bodies that the text of the Agreement has been approved at the expert level by all NMHS the members of CASPCOM;
By 30 April 2013, to inform the CASPCOM Chairman and CASPAS Coordinator about the progress of the national endorsement procedures.

3. On the activities of CASPCOM working bodies (Agenda Item # 5).

Having approved the activities of CASPCOM working bodies, the Session recommends the following:

3.1 NMHSs jointly with CASPAS Coordinator to supplement the General Catalogue of the Sea level with the data in the period of 2008 - 2011 and to complete this work by the forthcoming CASPCOM Session.

3.2 NMHSs jointly with CASPAS Coordinator to implement the plan of preparation of the Data Catalogue of the Caspian Sea water temperature adopted by the 16th Session, including the plan items not implemented in the previous year.

3.3 CASPAS Coordinator jointly with the CASPCOM Working Group to continue issuing Bulletins on the state of the Caspian Sea level twice a year, supplementing them with the level’s projected variations as given in longterm forecasts of the National Hydrometeorological Center of Russia.

3.4 CASPAS Coordinator jointly with CASPCOM Working Group to launch pilot issues of monthly bulletins "Impact assessment of atmospheric processes on the Caspian Sea ecosystem" starting from January 2013 by posting them at CASPCOM website.
Roshydromet is to assist CASPCOM working bodies, if possible, in the estimation of impact parameters of atmospheric processes on the Caspian ecosystem for the basic period 1978 - 2007.
The following CASPCOM Session having considered the materials received, is to take a wellreasoned decision on further activities.

3.5. CASPAS Coordinator to organize publishing of CASPCOM research papers in accordance with "Rules for presenting and formatting the materials to be published in the "CASPCOM Research Papers" (Annex 2).. NMHSs are to circulate the Address of the 17th CASPCOM Session to the scientific community of the Caspian states (Annex 3).. CASPAS Coordinator to incorporate comments by the 17th Session participants into these documents.

3.6 NMHSs using their archives and databases and involving Veterans of Labour to supplement the "Chronology of research in the field of hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea and the related fields" presented at the Session. CASPAS Coordinator is to introduce the submitted additional materials to the "Chronology..." and post it at the CASPCOM website.

3.7 CASPAS Coordinator is to create a "Photo Album of the Caspian Sea" at the CASPCOM website inviting the site participants to send the photos of the water area, the coast and the river deltas of the Caspian Sea under different weather conditions and at different hours of a day.

4. On CASPCOM cooperation with international and economic organizations (Agenda Item #6)

4.1 Having considered the issue of cooperation between CASPCOM and the Framework convention for the protection of the marine environment of the Caspian Sea, the Session recommends the following:

4.1.1 CASPAS Coordinator to request the Interim Secretariat of the Tehran Convention to refer to the partnership between the Caspian Environment Monitoring Programme and the Caspian Environment Information Center, on the one hand, and CASPCOM, on the other hand, in the relevant draft documents proposed for discussions at COP-4.

4.1.2 The CASPCOM Chairman and CASPAS Coordinator to take part in the COP-4. In their presentations at the Conference:

to underline the importance of hydrometeorological information (especially information on natural hazards and changes of climate and water balance) for the protection of the marine environment of the Caspian Sea;
to highlight the actual contribution and great potential of the NMHSs in the development of the Caspian Sea environment monitoring at the national level, including the use of hydrometeorological infrastructure (observation networks and information systems) for its organization and the use of hydrometeorological information for the interpretation of the environment monitoring data.
to draw attention to CASPCOM exclusive mandate on providing hydrometeorological services for the system of the Caspian Sea environment monitoring at the regional level, especially on providing summarized and agreed information on the Caspian Sea climate change to perform regular assessment of the marine environment state.

4.2 Taking into account the comments by Mr D.Ivanov, the WMO Secretariat representative to the 17th CASPCOM Session, the session recommends:

4.2.1 CASPAS Coordinator to prepare a CASPCOM presentation to demonstrate at the WMO Regional Associations 2 and 6 meetings. Chairman and/or Vice-Chairman to make the presentation during those meetings in Doha (2012) and Helsinki (2013).

4.2.2 CASPAS Coordinator to prepare a proposal for CASPCOM participation in the WMO regional and global projects (such as WIS, WIGOS, GFCS etc) by the next CASPCOM session as advised by the WMO Secretariat.

4.3 Having considered the issue of CASPCOM cooperation with oil and gas production companies operating in the Caspian Sea water area, the Session recommends:

4.3.1 NMHSs, CASPCOM Chairman and CASPAS Coordinator to put in practice the "Procedure of interaction between NMHSs, CASPCOM and oil and gas companies aimed at supporting young scientists involved in the hydrometeorology research of the Caspian Sea"(Annex 4)

4.3.2 CASPAS Coordinator to develop and present at the following CASPCOM Session the scheme on preparation of ensemble weather forecast for the largest Caspian ports on the basis of the forecasts received from the NMHSs.

5. Adoption of CASPCOM-17 Recommendations (Agenda Item # 7)

5.1 The Session has adopted these recommendations

6. Election of CASPCOM Chairman and Vice Chairman

Taking into account expiring the terms of office of the Head of Roshydromet as the CASPCOM Chairman and of the Head of Azhydromet as the CASPCOM Vice-Chairman, as well as the request of Turkmenhydromet on time allocation for the internal state procedure of approval of the Head of Turkmenhydromet as the candidate for the position of CASPCOM Chairman, 17th CASPCOM Session has decided:

To extend the terms of office of the Head of Roshydromet as the CASPCOM Chairman and of the Head of Azhydromet as the CASPCOM Vice-Chairman till 31 March 2013;
In case of acceptance by the Turkmen Party the responsibility of CASPCOM Chairman during the allocated time, the Head of Turkmenhydromet is to be considered as the CASPCOM Chairman and the Head of Kazhydromet as the CASPCOM Vice-Chairman;
In case of nonacceptance by the Turkmen Party the responsibility of CASPCOM Chairman during the allocated time , the Head of Azhydromet is to be considered as the CASPCOM Chairman and the Head of Kazhydromet as the CASPCOM Vice-Chairman;
To request Turkmenistan to inform CASPAS Coordinator about its decision by 31 March 2013; CASPAS Coordinator is to inform all the NMHS about the composition of the CASPCOM governing bodies that duly have taken office.

7. Date and venue for the following CASPCOM Session (Agenda Item # 8)

The Session recommends holding the following 18th CASPCOM Session in the autumn of 2013 in Turkmenistan. If Turkmenistan will not be able to host the 18th Session, the suggestion of Iranian Party to hold the session in IRI in the autumn of 2013 is to be accepted.