12 May 2021 news
Cleaning Riverine Plastic from a Transboundary Inflow to the Caspian (CRIPTIC) project funded by the Norwegian Retailers' Environmental Fund (Handelens Miljøfund) has been officially launched with the kick-off meeting held on Thursday, 6thof May 2021. CRIPTIC partners from Akvaplan-niva (project manager), NIVA, SALT and TerraNor from Norway; Azerbaijan Geographical Society, Institute of Geography of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Sukanal of Azersu JSC, At-Geotech, Water Experts Union, and Caspian Integrated Scientific Network from Azerbaijan took part in the meeting, presented project work packages, tasks and activities, and agreed further project implementation plans and procedures.
The main objective of CRIPTIC is to build capacity in the Caspian region to reduce plastic litter to the Caspian Sea. The project is organised in three work packages, called: 1) Riverbank cleaning and classification of plastic pollution from the Kura River; 2) Mapping for cleaning; 3) Community engagement.
The first CRIPTIC workshop and training (webinar) is planned for June this year to be followed up by the field work in four project pilot areas along the Kura River and Caspian coastline.