TEHRAN – The Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF), in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has allocated funds to Iran to help it reduce the impact of the Dust Storm (SDS).
According to Behzad Rayghani, secretary of the national policy planning headquarters dealing with SDS, this is the first time that KBF has approved an SDS management project proposed by the national headquarters, doe.ir reported.
The initiative is part of the “Environmental Diplomacy and Regional Cooperation in Dust Control” within the framework of the Comprehensive Dust Control Program under the Seventh National Development Plan (2023-2027), which was developed in close collaboration with UNDP country and regional offices, Raegani said.
Iran’s proposal is the first example of a multifaceted approach to sandstorm countermeasures at the international level, focusing on protecting biodiversity, both plants and animals, officials said.
This project includes three main areas. One is strengthening institutional and technical capacity to protect biodiversity in dust-affected areas. Develop and implement innovative measures to protect plant and animal species in sensitive ecosystems. and to raise public and professional awareness of the links between dust, ecosystem health and biodiversity, he further said.
National headquarters addressing SDS will use this funding to link plans to combat SDS and strengthen resilience to SDS at local and global levels.
This achievement is an effective step towards achieving dust-resilient land and biodiversity protection, the official added.
In 2024, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and China launched KBF to provide financial and technical support to developing countries to implement biodiversity plans.
Since then, KBF has rapidly developed into a full-fledged fund. The Fund aims to support countries to accelerate implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
The Fund prioritizes implementing a whole-of-society approach to addressing nature and biodiversity loss, improving biodiversity policies across all national and sub-national levels, strengthening capacity and cooperation, and mobilizing additional resources.
Comprehensive plan to combat SDS approved
In August, the National Task Force on SDS, in collaboration with other government agencies, approved a comprehensive plan to address SDS. The plan will be used as a national reference document to strengthen the country’s resilience against one of the most serious environmental threats.
At the 29th meeting of the National Expert Working Group on SDS Management held on August 19, a 150-page comprehensive plan was developed through cross-sectoral cooperation between 15 executive departments and agencies, including the Department of the Environment (DOE), the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Energy and Transport, natural resources agencies, emergency management agencies and meteorological agencies, IRNA reported.
The plan includes 10 major strategies, hundreds of concrete actions, performance indicators, implementation schedules, and an organizational division of labor between responsible agencies.
In July, President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a decree calling for the establishment of a specialized task force to address SDS, which has become a major public health concern in the country.
According to a report by IRNA, the DOE presented a report on the dangers of SDS as a comprehensive and growing threat at a meeting held on July 13, enumerating national plans and strategies to reduce the impact of SDS.
The President emphasized the importance of environmental protection as an issue of national importance and ordered the establishment of a working group consisting of experts, academics, and representatives of ministries and public administrations to draw on successful international experiences and develop and implement operational plans to combat dust phenomena.
Dust storms are a major environmental problem that negatively impacts food security, human health, and sustainable development processes at national and regional levels.
MT/MG