Tehran – Head of the Ministry of Environment (DOE), Shina Ansari emphasizes their participation in and their participation in international conferences, particularly in expanding environmental diplomacy, particularly in dealing with sand and sandstorms (SDSS).
Irib quotes Ansari saying that strengthening synergies and effective cooperation between responsible organisations is essential to managing SDS phenomena.
She noted that the main sources of SDSS need to be prioritized and that environmental diplomacy agreements should be pursued with a focus on neighbouring countries.
Referring to the development of a comprehensive sand and dust programme, officials said the national documents include 10 key strategies, including avoiding overexpression of biological resources, strengthening preparations in addressing SDSS, and improving trust and social assets in affected areas.
Prerequisites for aggressive diplomacy to address cross-boundary SDSS
Referring to the fact that the sources of SDSS affecting Iran are located abroad, DOE officials highlight the role of environmental diplomacy in managing climate crisis, particularly sand and sandstorms.
Air pollution, sand and sandstorms are global issues that need to be addressed with international cooperation as their solutions are cross-borders, the IRIB quotes Arman Khorsand as saying.
Emphasizing the need for domestic and international cooperation, authorities said Persian Gulf countries are working together to mitigate and address water pollution, climate change, sand and sandstorms. More joint initiatives are also emerging, he added.
“The negative effects of climate change are increasing faster than the effectiveness of measures taken to resolve the issue, but we should not refrain from playing a more effective and responsible role,” Khorsand said.
Due to drought and reduced water resources, he said the aridity of the Aral Sea, the Karakham Desert in Central Asia, and the deserts of China and Mongolia have been transformed into hotspot sources of sand and sandstorms that spread across countries such as Korea and Japan.
Duststorm is a major environmental challenge that has negative impacts on food security, human health, and sustainable development processes at the national and local level.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued an order calling for the establishment of a specialized working group to address SDSS.
Emphasizing the importance of maintaining the environment as an important issue in the country, the President ordered the establishment of a working group consisting of experts, academics, ministries and executive representatives, prepared and implemented operational plans to combat dust phenomena, and successfully conducted international experience.
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