BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 16. The Draft
Environmental and Social Management Framework for the Liveable Baku
Project has been published.
The document, published on the World Bank's website says that
the Livable Baku Project area covers the Absheron Peninsula and
surrounding districts of Absheron, Gobustan, Shamakhi, and Khizi,
located in eastern Azerbaijan along the western coast of the
Caspian Sea.
"The region occupies a strategically important position between
the Greater Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian lowlands and
represents one of the country's most densely populated and
economically significant territories. The project area encompasses
a wide range of natural and urban environments, including coastal
ecosystems, lakes, semi-deserts, agricultural lands, forests,
mountains, and rapidly expanding urban settlements. This geographic
diversity creates both environmental challenges and opportunities,
making the area a priority for integrated waste management
improvements, remediation of polluted lands and lakes, biodiversity
enhancement, and sustainable urban development under the Livable
Baku Project," reads the document.
The document reveals that the project area is characterized
predominantly by semi-desert and dry steppe landscapes, sparse
natural vegetation, saline soils, coastal habitats, wetlands, and
numerous natural and artificial lakes.
"Decades of oil extraction, industrial development, rapid
urbanization, and waste disposal activities have significantly
altered natural ecosystems in many parts of the area. Several
environmentally sensitive sites are located within the Project
area, including Boyukshor Lake, Khojasan Lake, and Zigh Lake, as
well as oil-contaminated lands at Mashtaga-Buzovna, Garachukhur,
and Girmaki. These areas have experienced varying degrees of
ecological degradation resulting from historical oil production,
industrial pollution, wastewater discharge, and urban
expansion.
The Project area is also located in proximity to several
nationally important protected areas, including Absheron National
Park and Altiagach National Park. These protected areas support
valuable terrestrial and coastal ecosystems, provide habitat for
numerous plant and animal species, including several rare and
endangered species, and contribute significantly to biodiversity
conservation, ecosystem services, environmental education, and
climate resilience in Azerbaijan," says the document.
The Government of Azerbaijan, through its Ministry of Economy
(MoE) as an Implementing Agency, with involvement of the Ministry
of Ecology & Natural Resources (MENR), Azerbaijan State Water
Resources Agency (ASWRA) and others, worked with the World Bank to
prepare the Livable Baku Project (hereafter ‘the Project’) designed
to improve the quality, disaster- and climate- resilience of public
spaces, buildings and local infrastructure in Greater Baku. The
Project aims to improve municipal solid waste management systems,
enhance waste collection, transfer, sorting, treatment, and
disposal services, and support the rehabilitation of
environmentally degraded areas within Greater Baku. The Project
also seeks to strengthen urban biodiversity and increase the
quantity and quality of green and blue infrastructure through
remediation and rehabilitation of polluted lakes, including Zigh
Lake, Boyukshor Lake, and Khojasan Lake, as well as selected
oil-contaminated sites.
The World Bank is considering financing the Livable Baku project
in Azerbaijan. The board of directors is tentatively scheduled to
review the project on February 18, 2027. The project will be
financed by an IBRD loan of US$500 million will be implemented over
the period 2027–2033.
