The Central Asian Blue Community ‘Save the Caspian Sea’ published a press release: Save the Caspian Sea Campaign Announces Lawsuit Calling for Oil Companies’ Transparency at Astana Roundtable.
The Save the Caspian Sea campaign has concluded its second roundtable, YOU. SEA. PROBLEM., in Astana, Kazakhstan. The event brought together key stakeholders, including environmental experts, public organizations, and oil and gas industry representatives, to address the urgent environmental challenges facing the Caspian Sea and the need for greater transparency in resource extraction practices.
A major development at the event was the announcement made by Vadim Ni, founder of the Save the Caspian Sea campaign, regarding the launch of a lawsuit aimed at compelling the release of the Product Sharing Agreements (PSAs) and concession agreements under which oil extractors have been operating in the Caspian region. These agreements, which have remained hidden from public view, are critical to understanding oil extraction’s environmental and economic impact in the region. The lawsuit calls for these documents to be made publicly available for scrutiny and renegotiation.
Vadim Ni, founder of Save the Caspian Sea, said:
“We are at a crucial juncture for the Caspian Sea. For years, the public has been kept in the dark about the terms of the PSAs governing extraction activities in the region. It is time for a new era of transparency. President Tokayev has rightly called for the renegotiation of these contracts, and our lawsuit aims to ensure that the process is conducted openly, with full access to the terms that govern the actions of oil companies operating in the Caspian. This lawsuit is about ensuring that the policies reflect the public’s interest and promote a sustainable future for the Caspian Sea and its ecosystems.”
