UNDP Iran, through the GEF Small Grants Programme, held an inception workshop for the regional project “Addressing Marine Litter and Marine Plastics – A Systemic Approach in the Caspian Sea” on 2 June 2026 in Noor, Mazandaran.

The one-day workshop brought together representatives from the Department of Environment, NGOs active in Iran’s northern provinces, academia, and UNDP. The session focused on the launch of the SGP component “Empowering local communities to improve waste management.”

Key discussions included the announcement of the Call for Proposals, introduction of the SGP structure and methodology, and capacity building for participating NGOs on how to engage with the programme and develop proposals.

The workshop was organized with the cooperation of the Department of Environment, Tarbiat Modares University’s Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, and the Iranian Wildlife and Biodiversity Specialists Association.

Iran, as a littoral state of the Caspian Sea, is committed to protecting marine ecosystems from pollution and environmental degradation. Plastic pollution poses a growing threat to marine biodiversity, coastal communities, tourism, and sustainable livelihoods.

In partnership with the Department of Environment (DOE), UNDP is implementing the project “Addressing Marine Litter and Marine Plastics – A Systemic Approach in the Caspian Sea".