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Recommendations
of the 1st (21st) Session of Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology
of the Caspian Sea

The 1st (21st) Session of Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea (CASPCOM) was held in Baku, the Azerbaijan Republic, on 17-18 November 2016.

The Session was attended by the representatives of the National Hydrometeorological Organizations (NMHSs) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, and Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan, business and scientific community of the Caspian littoral states.

The main results of activities of Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea in 2015-2016 are as follows:

  • the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea came into force on 30 January 2016;
  • CASPCOM website has been updated, and the access to numerical wind and wave forecasts which are of major interest to the consumers has been facilitated;
  • a new page containing WMO documents regulating the activities in the field of meteorology and hydrology has been created with the aim to expand their application for the Caspian Sea;
  • CASPCOM data catalogues (sea level, water temperature, regional atmospheric circulation and surface runoff) have been updated and a new catalogue of surface runoff to the Caspian Sea has been compiled;
  • CASPCOM bulletins on the state of the Caspian Sea level containing the assessment of actual and expected seasonal changes of the sea level were issued;
  • national achievements in the field of hydrometeorology and monitoring of the Caspian Sea, which create the framework for expanding of NMHS’s cooperation and increasing its efficiency.

1. On implementation of the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea

Taking into account the fact that the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea came into force on 30 January 2016, the Session participants - representatives of the Parties to this Agreement have unanimously resolved as follows:

  • to reform the Committee on Hydrometeorology and Pollution Monitoring of the Caspian Sea to the Committee on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea;
  • to start the numeration of CASPCOM Sessions from the very beginning, for the following three years using duplicate numbers, where the number outside the brackets is the new one, and the number in brackets corresponds to the old numeration.
  • to adopt that, apart from the full name, the Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea is the successor of the Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology and Pollution Monitoring of the Caspian Sea; it retains its short name (CASPCOM), logotype and motto, the succession of the sessions, the official website, and the information resources and products created through the joint efforts.

During the 21st CASPCOM Session the participants discussed the issues on implementation of the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea and the elaboration of the Intergovernmental Integrated Programme on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea.

The Session recommends as follows:

  • Within two weeks after the Session completion, CASPCOM Chairman shall submit to the NMHSs draft CASPCOM Regulations prepared by CASPAS Coordinator upon the instruction of the 20th Session;
  • Within the following six months, NMHSs shall submit their comments and suggestions to the draft CASPCOM regulations to CASPAS Coordinator;
  • 6 weeks before the start of the 2nd (22nd) CASPCOM Session CASPAS Coordinator shall submit to the NMHSs the draft CASPCOM Regulations accommodating the comments and suggestions made by the NMHSs;
  • Before the end of November 2016, CASPAS Coordinator shall prepare the proposals on the time frames of the Intergovernmental Integrated Programme on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea and action plans on its implementation, bearing in mind that NMHS plans are for the terms of 5-10 and 1-3 years respectively, and submit these proposals to CASPCOM Chairman.
  • CASPCOM Chairman shall forward to NMHSs the above mentioned proposals before 10 December 2016, and NMHSs in their turn shall provide their feedback to CASPAS Coordinator within 30 days.
  • 6 weeks before the start of the 2nd (22nd) CASPCOM Session CASPAS Coordinator shall submit to the NMHSs draft Intergovernmental Integrated Programme on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea.

2. CASPCOM activities and national activities in the field of hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea

Having positively assessed CASPCOM activities, as well as the national activities addressing high priority problems in hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea in 2015-2016,

The Session recommends as follows:

  • the NMHSs which have not submitted the whole scope of data to compile CASPCOM Catalogues, shall submit the remaining data;the NMHSs which have not submitted the whole scope of data to compile CASPCOM Catalogues, shall submit the remaining data;
  • CASPAS Coordinator shall continue with annual updating of CASPCOM data catalogues (sea level, water temperature, regional atmospheric circulation);
  • all the NMHSs shall submit observations data required to update the catalogues, including the data for 2016 to CASPAS Coordinator before August 2017;
  • CASPAS Coordinator shall submit the updated catalogues to NMHSs at the following CASPCOM Session;
  • CASPAS Coordinator and CASPCOM Working Group are to continue issuing CASPCOM information bulletins on the state of the Caspian Sea level in 2017;
  • within a three-month period, CASPAS Coordinator shall create a new CASPCOM website section freely accessed by the NMHSs but closed for all other users, which format can be used for placing the texts of prognostic information;
  • NMHSs jointly with CASPAS Coordinator shall carry out a three-month pilot project on remote access displaying of prognostic information on CASPCOM website;
  • upon the results of the pilot project, CASPAS Coordinator shall elaborate the instruction on placing the prognostic information on CASPCOM website, and forward it to the NMHS;
  • NMHSs jointly with CASPAS Coordinator shall repeat the three-month pilot project on remote access displaying of prognostic information on CASPCOM website; on a unified basis in accordance with the instructions by CASPAS Coordinator;
  • CASPAS Coordinator is to summarize and present at the following CASPCOM Session the results of the pilot project on displaying of prognostic information on CASPCOM website;
  • CASPAS Coordinator shall prepare an annotated Agenda for the following CASPCOM Session and submit it to the NMHSs no later than 6 weeks before the Session.

During the Session Kazhydromet suggested considering the issue of the Caspian Sea zoning for provision of hydrometeorological services for the marine activities using NAVTEX system. The Session participants took into account the information presented by Kazhydromet and offered to document its position and to submit the relevant address to the Parties of the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea via diplomatic channels.

IRIMO has drawn the attention of the Session participants to the adverse environmental effects of the Caspian Sea climate, water balance and level changes for the Iranian coast, which can be seen on the example of Gorgan Bay. The Session participants agreed with the opinion expressed by IRIMO and instructed CASPAS Coordinator to take this problem into account in the course of preparation of the second part of the Intergovernmental Integrated Programme on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea.

3. CASPCOM cooperation with international and economic organizations

Having considered the information on CASPCOM international affairs and positively assessed the extension and strengthening of CASPCOM interaction with the Tehran Convention, on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2013,

the Session recommends to CASPAS Coordinator:

  • to take part in the meetings of the Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment established by the Tehran Convention;
  • to prepare and display on CASPCOM website target presentations on the Caspian Sea weather and climate for schoolchildren, students, residents of the coastal zone and those working at sea.

4. Election of CASPCOM Chairman and Vice Chairman

Pursuant to expiry of term of office of Head of Kazhydromet as CASPCOM Chairman and Head of Azhydromet as CASPCOM Vice Chairman and to implement the recommendations of the 19th CASPCOM Session, the Session appointed Head of Azhydromet as CASPCOM Chairman and President of IRIMO as Vice Chairman for 2016-2018.

5. Determination of the date and venue of the following CASPCOM Session

The Session recommended holding the following 2n (22nd) CASPCOM Session in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

6. Adoption of the Recommendations of the 1st (21st) CASPCOM Session

The Session has adopted the Recommendations.