Surviving amidst putrid odors along the Caspian Sea – a visual journey | Art and design
The Caspian Sea is a vast body of water bordered by Iran to the south, Russia to the north, Azerbaijan to the west, and Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan to the east. Growing up along its shores, Javanmardi has seen first-hand the decline of this once-thriving lake due to unregulated exploitation, pollution, overfishing, and the impacts of climate change. These factors have combined to create a toxic environment that has led to a decrease in the lake’s productivity, negatively affecting those who rely on its resources. Each year, an estimated 122,000 tons of pollutants from the Caspian coastal states, such as oil spills, untreated sewage, and industrial waste, contaminate the marine ecosystem, posing a threat to various species.