The rapid decline of the Caspian Sea’s water level is no longer just an environmental concern, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev warned during the Caspian Environmental Summit in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan. Highlighting the impact on people living along the coast, Aliyev pointed to retreating shorelines, changing ecosystems and growing challenges for ports and coastal infrastructure. He called for greater regional cooperation to address the crisis, warning that continued water loss could have catastrophic consequences.