Sustainability of the Caspian Sea: The Menace of Geopolitics, Pollution, and Climate Change

• In Event: 50620 - Section on Environmental Sociology Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 14: Food Production Systems and Alternatives

Abstract

Global environmental conservation concerns have often ended up playing into the geopolitics of the world. A case in point is the proprietary status of the Caspian Sea. The world’s largest inland lake has long been contested among its five coastal states – Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan -- as to who owns how much of it. Besides, outside competitors have been salivating over this unique body of water as “global commons.” Asia, Europe and North America have been riding on the United Nations Law of the Sea that governs global waters, their appropriation, navigation, and mineral exploration – to claim their sliver of the sea. The Caspian is widely believed to be an ecological treasure that brims with marine and mineral wealth, especially hydrocarbon resources. The Caspian Sea basin is estimated to have the proven natural gas reserves of more than 236 trillion cubic feet, while its oil reserves run as high as 200 billion barrels. Its projected daily output of oil, at 4.5m barrels per day, will account for 5% of the world’s crude supply. The Caspian’s marine wealth is equally mouth-watering. The waterway is the aquatic abode of one of the queen species of the marine world: Sturgeon. Ninety percent of the world’s delicacy of caviar is sourced from this Eurasia-specific fish. Threats to the Environment: Environmental pollution of the Caspian is, however, threatening its marine wealth, and climate change is causing shallows to emerge where there used to be “rapids.” The Northern Caspian has already dropped to one-third of its flow which cannot support marine life. This paper documents how the conservation and sustainability of the Caspian stands menaced, which is further worsening by geopolitical competition. Deploying the metabolic rift theory, the paper demonstrates how a rupture between social and natural metabolism is depleting the Caspian of life.

Author

• Tarique Niazi, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire