Leyla Aliyeva highlights IDEA’s environmental activities as she speaks to Euronews

The IDEA Public Union was created with the clear purpose to respond to environmental challenges in Azerbaijan and around the world, said Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, founder and head of the IDEA Public Union, in an interview with Euronews.

Azernews reports that the channel prepared a reportage on IDEA's activities in the field of environment, climate change, and biodiversity protection.

“From the very beginning we understood that ecology is much more than saving species or addressing climate issues. It is about the way we live, our lifestyle, our culture, and the impact each of us has on the environment. While unfortunately many countries are losing their reserves. Azerbaijan continues to increase them. Two new national parks have opened in recent years, and others have been expanded.

Next year, we are expecting to open the Garabagh National Park, which will bring the country’s protected areas to around 30 percent of its territory. Today, we are focusing on new urgent challenges, especially the situation in the Caspian Sea - declining water levels, pollution, and growing threats to marine life, including the Caspian seal. This is a crisis no single country can solve alone. We must work together and value the Caspian Sea as the shared national treasure.

I think, now, we have reached the stage where environment is much more about action. We spoke about it enough, of course, it is important, but nature doesn't need us to speak any more, it needs us to act. The most important thing is to stay positive and understand that you by yourself can make a huge difference. Together, we can achieve miracles,” Leyla Aliyeva said.

The article emphasized that environmental protection measures in Azerbaijan extend far beyond biodiversity conservation. It noted that national institutions and companies, particularly IDEA, are working to protect the environment both on land and at sea. One of the most visible results of this work is the expansion and protection of national parks across the country.

Speaking to Euronews, Arzu Babayeva, Deputy Head of the Biodiversity Conservation Service at Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, said: “There are many environmental problems in the world, including biodiversity loss, climate change, and ecological pressure. Now is the time to act. The work we do is not for ourselves, but for the world, nature, and future generations.”

She noted that the first protected area was established in 1910, after which the network of such areas expanded: “Currently, we have 12 national parks, 9 state nature reserves, and 24 state wildlife sanctuaries. These areas are home to endangered and rare species such as the imperial eagle, mountain gazelles, brown bears, white-tailed eagles, and others.

The reportage highlighted that while the government works on establishing national parks, the efforts of local organizations such as IDEA are particularly impactful. The organization has contributed to the reintroduction of bison to northern regions of Azerbaijan, as well as to the protection of the Caspian Sea, one of the country’s most important natural assets.

In his comments, Elshad Asgarov, Director of WWF Azerbaijan, said that the bison, a symbol of the Caucasus region, lived in Azerbaijan in ancient times: “We started the project in 2018, and Ismayilli district was selected as one of the places where the bison could still be restored. We then found animals in European zoos that still carried Caucasian bison genes. Therefore, we brought here only individuals with the genetic traits of the Caucasian mountain bison. They now live in the wild - spending summers in the alpine zone and descending into forested areas during the cold season to overwinter.”

The author noted that IDEA has used the same approach working on projects in the Caspian Sea. “Microplastic pollution is another major issue facing the Caspian Sea. Large amounts of plastic pollution originate from other countries and are carried to the Caspian shores by currents. Under IDEA’s leadership, a number of initiatives are being implemented to clean plastic waste from the Caspian coastline,” said Elnur Safarov, coordinator of the Caspian Integrated Scientific Network (CASPISNET) program at the Institute of Geography.

The author concluded saying that these environmental threats are raising increasingly broader issues - from partnership and responsibility to the future of the planet itself.