Page 73 - Azerbaijan State University of Economics

E.Ahmadov: Azerbaijan from innovative governance to green economy

Over 3 million trees were planted within the framework of the projects
implemented; classes have been created at education establishments on protection of
the environment. ―Our primary objective is to secure rehabilitation of endangered
species in the world, and their protection. Joint works are being carried out with a
number of international organizations in this direction. Azerbaijan is a member of the
International Union for Conservation of Nature‖ [7]. The environmental education of
the young generation is a guarantee of a sustainable future and productive
environmental management. For this reason, IDEA organizes different social activities
on ecology, and treats the new generation in an ecologically responsible way. These
awareness raising programs of IDEA have been welcomed by students as a chance to
be engaged not only in studies but also in social activities [7].
The rapid growth of the economy, including the successful implementation of
the well-planned oil strategy of the National Leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev,
created great opportunities for addressing environmental problems. The close attention
of the country‘s leadership to environmental issues has increased the efficiency of the
measures taken in this field. Major projects have been successfully implemented and
continue to be fulfilled in this direction. Over the past ten years, due to the
intensification of tree planting and reforestation measures the forest area has reached
more than 1 million hectares, increasing from 11.4 to 11.8 % of the total territory of
the country. Over the past 10 years more than 20 million different species of trees and
shrubs have been planted in the areas outside the forest territories. Over the last 5
years large landscaping projects based on up-to-date methods have been implemented
around the city of Baku and Absheron peninsula. 3.4 million trees and shrubs were
planted on an area of 3294 hectares, with the length of drip irrigation system of about
9 kilometers. As a part of these projects more than 845,000 olive saplings have been
planted in different regions over an area of 1384 hectares. It is worth mentioning that
the area of these new olive plantations equals the area of all the olive groves planted
throughout Azerbaijani history. We face the task of achieving the Millennium
Development Goals in water management. In order to improve wastewater
management the existing large wastewater treatment plants are being modernized and
new ones built and a sewer system is being laid in all the regions of the country. Based
on the order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan «On Measures for the
Protection of the Caspian Sea from pollution» the Ministry of Ecology and Natural
Resources established the ―environmental protection system of the Caspian Sea‖
consisting of 17 stations of sewage treatment plants for the cleaning of around 6400
cubic meters of wastewater daily aimed at preventing the contamination of about 100
kilometers of the coastal strip of the Absheron peninsula. Large-scale projects are also
being implemented for the population‘s supply of drinking water and water supply

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