On August 21, Rauf Hajiyev, the Deputy Ecology Minister of Azerbaijan, stated in an interview with Reuters that the rapid decline in the Caspian Sea’s water level was threatening ports, oil shipments, and the survival of sturgeon and seal populations. Hajiyev noted, "its level has fallen by 0.93 metres (3 ft) in the past five years, by 1.5 metres in the last 10, and 2.5 metres in the past 30." He emphasized that the drop in water level was already affecting the lives of coastal residents and the functioning of ports. "The retreat of the coastline changes natural conditions, disrupts economic activity and creates new challenges for sustainable development," Hajiyev stated.

According to him, ships were experiencing increasing difficulties when entering and maneuvering in the port of Baku, which reduced cargo capacity and increased logistics costs. He added that the retreat of the sea was destroying wetlands, lagoons, and reed beds, thereby endangering certain marine species. The deputy minister warned that Caspian seals were especially vulnerable due to the shrinking sea area and the disappearance of seasonal ice fields in the north where they breed. "With a 5-metre drop in the sea level, seals lose up to 81% of their breeding sites, and with a 10-metre drop, they are almost completely deprived of suitable sites," Hajiyev said.