Japan has pledged 465 million yen (about $3 million) to support Kazakhstan's efforts to address the climate change-driven decline in the Caspian Sea's water level through a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), The Caspian Post reports, citing Kyodo.

According to Japan's Foreign Ministry, the initiative aims to promote cooperation among the countries bordering the Caspian Sea on water resource management while strengthening monitoring systems for the sustainable use of the world's largest inland body of water.

The ministry warned that the falling water level could have far-reaching consequences for regional ecosystems and logistics.

Japanese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Yasumasa Iijima and UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan Katarzyna Wawiernia signed the agreement launching the initiative in Astana in late May.

In a press release, the UNDP described the Caspian Sea as "one of Eurasia's most critical ecological zones," noting that it supports the livelihoods of millions of people.

In recent years, rising temperatures have reduced both the volume of water in the Caspian Sea and the amount of water flowing into it from rivers. The resulting decline in water levels has raised concerns over disruptions to maritime transportation and the possible extinction of species unique to the sea.

Data from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) show that the Caspian Sea's water level has fallen by more than two meters over the past 30 years. NASA projects that it could decline by another 8 to 30 meters by the year 2100.

A Japanese Foreign Ministry official said Kazakhstan has a heightened sense of urgency because the northern part of the Caspian Sea is relatively shallow, meaning the country is likely to experience the effects of declining water levels sooner than other coastal states.