7 January 2013: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) GRID-Arendal has reported that the fourth Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Tehran Convention) welcomed the launch of the Caspian Environmental Information Centre (CEIC).

The Centre is a collaborative effort among GRID-Arendal and the Environmental Information Officers of five Caspian littoral States, namely Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan.

The web-based CEIC features reports, national action plans, aggregated data, and scientific and legal documents on environmental issues and activities within the Caspian region, as well as a directory of all relevant government-affiliated organizations and public participation.

CEIC serves as a communication tool for the Secretariat of the Tehran Convention and provides information for environmental reporting on the Caspian Sea. [CEIC Website] [UNEP Grid-Arendal Press Release]