The fate of the Caspian Sea hangs in the balance. A vital and irreplaceable natural treasure, the world’s largest landlocked body of water is being plundered in secrecy, its future dictated by international oil and gas giants operating behind closed doors. This opaque system, facilitated by the Ministry of Energy, not only imperils Kazakhstan’s environment but also violates the constitutional rights of its people.
For years, the public has been kept in the dark about the conditions under which oil giants have been pumping up their profits by extracting resources from the Caspian Sea. Kazakhstan has three of the world’s largest oil fields – Tengiz, Kashagan, and Karachaganak – with all being managed by big oil giants. But despite their significant role in the country’s economy, these companies continue to operate with minimal transparency and accountability to the local communities, leaving behind a trail of despair and destruction.
That is why, after founding the “Save the Caspian Sea Campaign,” in December 2024 my first step was to seek public access to the product sharing agreements (PSAs) and a concession agreement, which define the conditions under which Big Oil has been operating under in the region. However, the Ministry of Energy denied our request, claiming that it would be a violation of their confidentiality commitments, and that access can only be provided with written consent from the companies.
But what about the commitments made to its own citizens? For the government of Kazakhstan, the agreement that supersedes everything is the protection of the rights of Kazakh people. That’s why at the beginning of this year, I launched legal action against our government.
This veil of secrecy is only benefiting international operators. Oil companies working in the Kashagan field have recently secured two favorable rulings in a parallel arbitration process against our government. Not only have they managed to defer environmental fines for sulfur storage at the site, but they have also delayed tax audits. The companies argue that, in accordance with the agreements, only the Ministry of Energy has the authority to perform tax audits, which is precisely why the public must have access to this information. Although these decisions clear favor the oil companies, there is still a silver lining: they also underscore the timeliness and legitimacy of our case.
Regrettably, in preliminary hearings on our case, the court ruled that the public authority’s denial of access to environmental information was legitimate and concluded that I had no standing to sue the Ministry of Energy over it. We are appealing this decision.
We cannot ignore the Constitution of Kazakhstan, which states unequivocally: the land, flora, fauna, and natural resources belong to the people. The government is merely a steward of these resources, yet it has chosen to prioritize corporate interests over the well-being of its own citizens. This fight is far from over – we have a case, and we will make it.
For over 20 years now, Kazakhstan has been a party to the Aarhus Convention. The main goal of this global convention is to defend everyone’s right to live in an environment adequate for their health and well-being by guaranteeing access to information, public participation, and access to justice in environmental matters. According to Article 4 of our constitution, international treaties ratified by the country take precedence over national laws. Having worked with the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee for over a decade, I know this mechanism inside and out – and I am prepared to use every legal avenue available to defend our rights.
The Caspian Sea is a unique and irreplaceable natural treasure – the world’s largest landlocked water body, holding special significance for the five bordering countries, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan. But it is vanishing right in front of our eyes. If we don’t want it to repeat the Aral Sea’s fate, denial and inaction are no longer an option.
Last November alone, almost 2,000 seals were found dead along the Caspian coastline in Kazakhstan, which serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the environmental toll that’s being taken on this vital ecosystem. This mass death is not an isolated incident but part of a growing pattern of damage that’s been largely ignored. Kazakhstan, with its shallow shoreline, will be among the first to face the consequences of this unfolding catastrophe.
However, there is hope. Earlier this year, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for a revision of the PSAs, further highlighting the need for change. So, although the best time to protect the Caspian Sea was yesterday, the second-best time is today. To achieve that, we must hold polluters accountable for the damage they have already caused and prevent them from future harm by ensuring transparency. Only by making these agreements available for public scrutiny can we finally open the door to a meaningful conversation about managing the Caspian Sea with a focus on protecting its environment and supporting the local communities that depend on it.
It’s our duty to protect the Caspian. If we do not act now, the future generations in Kazakhstan will inherit a desert, not a sea.