TEHRAN – Iranian and Kenyan officials announced their readiness to strengthen cooperation in various environmental fields.
Somae Rafiei, leader of Iran’s Parliamentary Environment Party, met with Deborah Mhlongo Balasa, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry of Kenya, to discuss ways to promote exchanges in the environmental field.
Officials met on the sidelines of the 37th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP37), held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 3 to 7 November.
According to IRNA, Kenyan officials expressed their intention to benefit from Iran’s experience and technical knowledge in the environmental field, particularly in the protection of wildlife and forests and in the fight against climate change.
Mr. Barrasa visited Iran and expressed readiness to sign a memorandum of understanding on environmental cooperation.
Both sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in women’s empowerment and training.
Underscoring the high scientific and administrative capabilities of Iranian women, Foreign Minister Rafiei said Iran plans to develop and submit a project for women’s empowerment to the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol, and Kenya has agreed to financially support its implementation.
Mr Rafiei also held meetings with Maldivian officials, focusing on nature tourism, new fishing techniques and sharing of fishing expertise.
In a meeting with Ozone Secretariat Director-General Megumi Seki, Iran’s achievements were evaluated very positively. Rafiei called on the Ozone Secretariat to share knowledge, technology and financial resources with Iran.
MOP37 focuses on a global cooperative effort to protect both the ozone layer and the climate. Key areas of discussion include life cycle refrigerant management (LRM), sustainable cooling, strengthening regional air monitoring of regulated substances, combating illegal trade, and funding discussions from 2027 to 2029.
Environmental diplomacy needs to be strengthened
Because they are transnational, many complex environmental issues can be addressed through environmental diplomacy, or negotiations between two or more countries.
IRNA reports that environmental diplomacy is used globally to resolve issues such as conflicts over energy sources, water, and climate change.
The fact that all countries share the same environment makes it necessary to promote environmental diplomacy to resolve conflicts over water resources, environmental pollution, and the effects of climate change.
Environmental diplomacy is an effective tool needed to reduce and eliminate serious impacts by allocating responsibility fairly among the countries involved as they present their national interests and solutions.
Dust storms (DSDs) are a typical example of a meteorological disaster in West Asia, involving many countries, with some countries originating and others affected.
SDS has hit countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Iran, and at times Azerbaijan, parts of Turkmenistan, and even Afghanistan and Pakistan.
These dust particles have devastating effects on respiratory health and ecosystems, shutting down airports, schools, and offices, impacting power transmission infrastructure, and causing economic losses.
Removing pollution from the Aras River and securing water rights and some wetlands in the Hilmand River are also examples of how environmental policy has been used to resolve conflicts.
The Treaty of Tehran is a major achievement for the Caspian Sea coastal states to protect the Caspian Sea environment from all sources of pollution, but it also covers the conservation, restoration and protection of Caspian Sea species and habitats.
Therefore, to mitigate the effects of climate change and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we need to strengthen our environmental policies so that Iran and its neighbors can benefit from available resources and secure our rights at the international level.
MT/MG