Proposal to establish Hydrometeorology Research Institute put forward in Azerbaijan

The establishment of a Hydrometeorology Research Institute has been proposed in Azerbaijan, Sadig Gurbanov, chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliamentchr("39")s Natural Resources, Energy and Ecology Committee, said during a panel session titled "Challenges created by climate change in inland water bodies: The Caspian Sea example" held as part of Baku Climate Action Week 2026, Olaylar informs.

Gurbanov said that amid intensifying hydrometeorological processes worldwide, growing climate change and declining water resources, scientific research into hydrometeorological processes in Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea is becoming particularly important.

"For this purpose, there is a need to establish a new institute, such as a Hydrometeorology Research Institute. Several Caspian littoral states have already established such institutions and are conducting research. I think this could be useful," he said.

The committee chairman also highlighted the decline in the Caspian Seachr("39")s water level as a pressing issue.

"This problem should not be viewed only as an issue of today. The Caspian Sea is also of great importance for the future. Continuous monitoring of salinity, water levels, temperature and biodiversity in the Caspian is necessary, and the scientific basis for these indicators should be developed after each monitoring cycle," Gurbanov said.

He noted that continued decline in the Caspian Seachr("39")s water level could lead to the emergence of new land areas along Azerbaijanchr("39")s coastline.

"If the decline in the water level continues and reaches minus 30 meters relative to sea level, the sea could retreat from the coast by 4-5 kilometers in the Nabran-Shabran area, 10-12 kilometers in the Sangachal-Alat area, and 2-3 kilometers in the Lankaran-Astara area within Azerbaijanchr("39")s waters," Gurbanov said.

The lawmaker also noted that Azerbaijanchr("39")s average temperature increased by 1.3 times compared with the norm between 2007 and 2025. In 2025 alone, the increase amounted to 1.8 degrees Celsius.

The highest temperatures recorded during the past six years were 44.2 degrees Celsius in 2021 and 42.9 degrees Celsius in 2025.