RECOMMENDATIONS
of the 2nd (22-nd) Session of Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology
of the Caspian Sea

The 2nd (22nd) Session of Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea (CASPCOM) was held in Aktau, the Republic of Kazakhstan, on 7-8 November 2017.

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, governmental authorities of the Republic of Kazakhstan, business, scientific and public organizations of the Caspian littoral states.

The main results of activities of Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea in 2016-2017 are as follows:

progress in the elaboration of CASPCOM organizational and Programme documents required to implement the Agreement on Co-operation in the Field of Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea;
a new section of CASPCOM website devoted to the analysis and assessment of climate change of the Caspian Sea;
the updated CASPCOM data catalogues (sea level, water temperature, regional atmospheric circulation and surface runoff to the Caspian Sea);
CASPCOM bulletins on the state of the Caspian Sea level containing the assessment of actual and expected seasonal changes of the sea level;
national achievements in the field of hydrometeorology and monitoring of the Caspian Sea, which create the framework for expanding of NMHS’s co-operation and increasing its efficiency.

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

During the 2nd (22nd) CASPCOM Session its participants discussed the issues of implementation of the Agreement on Co-operation in the Field of Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea and elaboration of the Intergovernmental Integrated Programme on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea.

The Session recommends as follows:

to postpone adopting CASPCOM Regulations until the following Session. - within two weeks after the completion of this Session, CASPCOM Chairman is to forward to the NMHSs the discussed CASPCOM Regulations for additional comments and proposals;
to instruct the NMHSs to consult the relevant MFAs on the need to endorse CASPCOM Regulations and the endorsement procedure, and to inform CASPCOM Chairman and CASPAS Coordinator on the results of these consultations no later than 2 months prior to the start of the 3rd(23rd) CASPCOM Session;
within 3 months after the completion of the 2nd (22nd) Session, NMHSs are to forward to CASPAS Coordinator additional comments and proposals on the draft CASPCOM Regulations or the notice that there are no comments;
within 3 months after the completion of the 2nd (22nd) CASPCOM Session, CASPAS Coordinator shall collect the proposals of the Parties on the text of the document;
2 months prior to the start of the 3rd (23rd) CASPCOM Session, CASPAS Coordinator is to forward to the NMHSs the draft CASPCOM Regulations elaborated with account of their comments and proposals;

The Parties have approved in full the principles of formation of the Intergovernmental Programme in the field of Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea, in accordance with which it comprises CASPCOM Mission and Strategy, Midterm Objectives and Annual Plans of National and Joint Activities.

The Session has resolved as follows:

to adopt midterm objectives of the Intergovernmental Integrated Programme on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea for the period before 2023 and to publish them on CASPCOM website;
at the following CASPCOM Session, CASPAS Coordinator shall present the proposals on the development of indicators on the implementation of midterm objectives of the Intergovernmental Integrated Programme;
to recommend NMHSs to present annual reports on the national activities in both working languages of the Agreement, if possible.

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

Having appreciated CASPCOM activities, as well as the national activities in the field of hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea in 2016 - 2017,

The Session recommends as follows:

NMHSs which have gaps in submission of data for CASPCOM catalogues are to submit the missing data within 3 months;
CASPAS Coordinator shall continue annual update of CASPCOM Catalogues with the new data (on sea level, water temperature, surface runoff and regional atmospheric circulation),
if necessary, NMHSs shall submit to CASPAS Coordinator the corrected list of stations and observation parameters to introduce changes to CASPCOM catalogues within one month after the completion of the 2nd (22nd) CASPCOM Session;
the Iranian party in collaboration with the stakeholder NMHSs shall take measures to harmonize zero marks of sea level gauges and present the results of this work at the following CASPCOM Session;
within a month, CASPAS Coordinator shall submit to the NMHSs the draft of the Catalogue of the Caspian Sea Air Temperature; and within 6 months, the NMHSs are to submit to CASPAS Coordinator the data for the Catalogue in accordance with the draft;
at the following CASPCOM Session, CASPAS Coordinator shall submit to the NMHSs the updated versions of the Catalogues;
CASPAS Coordinator and CASPCOM Working Group are to continue issuing CASPCOM information bulletins on the state of the Caspian Sea level in 2018;
CASPAS Coordinator shall continue to maintain CASPCOM website section devoted to the assessment of the Caspian Sea climate change in accordance with the analysis method presented at the Session;
NMHS are to determine, at the national level, the types of prognostic information to be freely displayed on CASPCOM website and to be exchanged through restricted access channel. NMHS shall prepare proposals on the coding of the prognostic information of restricted access and to submit them to CASPAS Coordinator no later than2 months prior to the start of the 3rd (23rd) CASPCOM Session.
CASPAS Coordinator, assisted by CASPCOM Chairman and the NMHSs, shall prepare a Review of CASPCOM activities upon the expiry of a two-years' period of chairmanship of each of the parties. The first version of the Review shall be presented by CASPAS Coordinator at the 3rd (23rd) CASPCOM Session;
CASPAS Coordinator shall prepare the annotated Agenda for the following Session and forward it to the NMHSs no less than a month prior to the Session.

3. CASPCOM cooperation with international and economic organizations

Taking into account the information on external CASPCOM activities and having assessed positively the expansion and strengthening of CASPCOM co-operation with the Tehran Convention on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2013,

The Session recommends as follows:

CASPAS Coordinator, in line with CASPCOM competence, is to continue the co-operation with the Interim Secretariat of the Tehran Convention on the issues which are of mutual interest, in particular, relating to CASPCOM contribution to the preparation of the 2nd Report on the State of the Environment of the Caspian Sea, and CASPCOM participation in the projects initiated by the Tehran Convention;
NMHSs are to hold consultations with representatives of businesses within their states to determine the list of main types of products and services which the businesses would like to obtain within CASPCOM framework. The NMHSs shall present the results of these consultations at the 3rd(23rd) CASPCOM Session, As a result, the Session will adopt a generalized list of products and services to develop new CASPCOM projects.

4. Election of CASPAS Coordinator

The Session has taken into account the notice by CASPAS Coordinator, Mr. Sergey Monakhov, on his inability to further fulfil the obligations of CASPAS Coordinator as a result of health issues, has commended his 10 years' work in this position, has expressed gratitude and addressed him with a request to continue his activities in the field of hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea as an Honorary CASPCOM expert. The Session has unanimously elected Mrs. Elena Ostrovskaya, a representative of the Russian Party, as CASPAS Coordinator until CASPCOM Regulations are adopted.

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

The Session addressed the Turkmen Party with a proposal to consider an opportunity of holding the following 3rd (23rd) CASPCOM Session in Turkmenistan in the autumn of 2018, and within two months after the completion of this Session, to inform CASPCOM Chairman, NMHSs and CASPAS Coordinator on the decision taken by the Party. Further on, the Session recommends adopting the sequence of CASPCOM Sessions in accordance with Article 5 of the Agreement on Co-operation in the Field of Hydrometeorlogy of the Caspian Sea.

6. Adoption of resolutions and recommendations of the 2nd (22nd) CASPCOM session

The Session has adopted the proposed resolutions and recommendations.