Baku: Azerbaijan has improved its indicators in water supply, sanitation, environmental safety, and climate risk management, APA-Economics reports, citing the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Azerbaijan has raised its water supply score from 4 to 5 points. This improvement reflects enhanced access to safe drinking water, better service continuity, and stronger governance. While many countries in the region maintained their previous levels, Azerbaijan was among those that achieved progress in this area.

ADB’s assessment shows that Azerbaijan has also progressed in sanitation and sewerage services. The country improved its score from 3 to 4/5 points, indicating the expansion of sewerage networks and improvements in wastewater treatment infrastructure.

The report highlights the Baku White City project as a significant contributor to strengthening urban drainage infrastructure. This project positively impacted Azerbaijan’s performance in managing stormwater and flood risks.

In the 2025 report, which for the first time includes an indicator measuring plastic waste flows at river mouths, Azerbaijan was placed in the lowest risk category. The findings indicate that the volume of plastic waste entering the environment through rivers in Azerbaijan is low, attributed to strong environmental governance and basin-level control.

ADB states that Azerbaijan has made consistent progress in managing water-related disaster risks, placing it among the safest third of countries. Reduced exposure to drought, investments in digital hydrology systems, and the establishment of emergency response centers have supported this improvement. The report also notes a positive trend in Azerbaijan’s Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), contributing to lowering future climate risks.

At the same time, ADB warns that to ensure the sustainability of this progress, Azerbaijan needs to complete its climate adaptation plans and steer urban development away from high flood-risk zones. The temporary easing of drought pressure creates only a limited window of opportunity to prepare for future climate risks.

The report highlights mountainous hydropower projects as key opportunities for decarbonization. In late 2023 and early 2024, Azerbaijan launched regional agreements and joint projects in the hydropower sector with neighboring countries, accelerating the green energy transition.