Abstract: This research investigates the escalating ecological crisis of the Caspian Sea, analysing how human activities and infrastructural gaps from littoral states drive ecosystem degradation. As a closed lake system with no outlets, the Caspian retains persistent contaminants, causing a "concentration effect" where dropping water levels increase the density of incoming pollutants. Studies suggest that a significant portion of municipal wastewater along the Absheron Peninsula enters the sea without full biological treatment due to localised sewage network gaps, creating bacteriological risks and localised low-oxygen zones. This baseline is compounded by transboundary inflows: river diversions and industrial runoff from the Volga basin restrict fresh water while introducing chemical compounds, and assessments from Iran’s northern coastal provinces indicate high volumes of untreated domestic wastewater alongside agricultural runoff. Furthermore, shallow-water dredging at oil fields and coastal industrial waste introduce heavy metals and hydrocarbons into the ecosystem. These combined stressors bioaccumulate up the marine food chain, threatening endangered species like the Caspian seal (Pusa caspica) and endemic sturgeons. To address this crisis pragmatically, this paper shifts away from complex geopolitical gridlocks and proposes community-centric, scalable solutions. It advocates for combining with grassroots civilian actions such as smartphone-assisted pollution mapping, encouraging eco-responsible consumer choices, and organising data-logged beach cleanups. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that preserving the shared Caspian ecosystem does not depend on instant, flawless overhauls but on the compounding power of practical, community-led habits.
İslam Mustafayev (Mon,) studied this question.