EIA Protocol to Tehran Convention enters into force
On November 18, 2025, the Protocol on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context to the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (EIA Protocol) enters into force following ratification by all Caspian countries. This is an important step in strengthening the collective commitment of the Caspian states to protect the marine environment through early warning, shared responsibilities, and informed decision-making.
EIA Protocol includes 23 articles covering: a notification procedure and requirements to it; communication between Concerned Parties regarding the implementation of EIA Protocol’s objectives; a procedure for preparing and submitting draft EIA documentation; requirements for reviewing EIA documentation and conducting public consultations, as well as consultations between stakeholders; how to make the final decision on implementation of proposed activities; the feasibility of conducting post-project analysis; main organisational provisions; financing the development and implementation of relevant programs, projects, and measures; a dispute resolution procedure, etc.
Annex I to EIA Protocol lists the types of activities, industrial facilities, and infrastructure that may have a transboundary impact on the shared marine environment of the Caspian Sea. These include oil refineries, chemical and petrochemical plants, highway and pipeline construction, groundwater abstraction activities, and many others (more than 20 items). Appendix II lists criteria for determining significant transboundary impacts, and Appendix III sets out the minimum content requirements for EIA documentation.
This international document provides a practical framework for the Caspian countries to evaluate the potential environmental effects of major economic projects before they begin.
This agreement reflects a shared understanding that cooperation and early assessment are useful tools for managing the Caspian Sea environment. It offers a structured way for the Caspian countries to share information and discuss projects that could have cross-border effects. The start of its implementation provides a common basis for the five littoral states to work together on supporting development while considering conditions of the Caspian ecosystem.
Download EIA Protocol from the Tehran Convention’s web-site.
This document will be the third protocol to the Tehran Convention to enter into force. The Protocol Concerning Regional Preparedness, Response and Co-operation in Combating Oil Pollution Incidents (Aktau Protocol) and Protocol for the Protection of the Caspian Sea against Pollution from Land-based Sources and Activities (Moscow Protocol) entered into force earlier. Negotiations are also currently underway for the fifth protocol on monitoring, assessment and information exchange. Read more here.
Source: the Tehran Convention.
In the top photo: a Caspian seal pup, the northern Caspian, January 2023. An international expedition organized by CAIER, Caspian Seals Research and Rehabilitation Center, with the support of Saby Charitable Foundation. Photo by Sarah Del Ben, Icebreaker Nature Entertainment Studios.