In a historic victory for environmentalists and the local population, all 300 oil wells operating at the Kokzhide Oil Field in Aktobe region, Kazakhstan, situated on the Kokzhide sands, a protected territory in western Kazakhstan, have been ordered to cease operation. 

The decision to shut the wells is the result of many years of work by specialists, scientists, journalists, the local population, and environmental organizations, including Crude Accountability, who protested the oil extraction at Kokzhide and expressed concerns about threats to the nationally significant source of drinking water. 

Learn more here.

Our co-founder and Executive Director Kate Watters shares her remarks on Azerbaijan as the COP29 host country and the recent crackdown of political dissent with CIVICUS and Eurasianet.

CIVICUS - AZERBAIJAN: ‘Operating on the ground has become increasingly difficult due to security concerns’

Eurasianet - Azerbaijan makes initial missteps as it prepares to put on a “green-friendly” show

Friday, February 23 marked 7 months since Gubad Ibadoghlu was detained in Azerbaijan. As the country is set to host COP29 in November, we released a fact sheet on our social media to guide you on the environmental degradation and human rights abuses of the Aliyev regime.

We continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Gubad.

Please share, and use the hashtag #freegubad to raise awareness of his case.

Crude Accountability continues to publish its series of Expert Recommendations for the OSCE on Climate with 3 new papers from emerging environmental voices on the havoc of wildfires in the Western US, the encroachment of wind farms in Fosen, and the growing water scarcity crisis in Central Asia.

Addressing the Increasing Threat of Wildfires in the Western United States and Beyond by Kyle Ferrar

Environmental Injustice in Fosen, Norway by Anne Karam

Climate Change Impacts on Growing Water Scarcity in the Border Areas of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan by Alena Rickleton

It's official: Crude Accountability is now on Instagram. We'll continue to post regular updates on our research, events, and efforts to fight for environmental justice in the Caspian and Black Sea regions.

Find us @crudeaccountability_ngo.

You can also follow us on X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.