TEHRAN – Ahmad Reza Rahijanzadeh, an official from the Ministry of Environment (DOE), represented Iran at the 38th Executive Committee meeting of the Marine Protected Area Environment Agency (ROPME) held in Kuwait on Thursday.
Lopme was founded in Kuwait in 1979 and was quickly ratified by seven member states (Iran, Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates).
It focuses on the protection of the marine and coastal environments and ecosystems of the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea.
Kuwaiti Minister of the Petroleum Environment, Mohamed Bin Mubarak Bin Dainah and the envoy on Climate Affairs, chaired the 38th meeting of the Ropme Executive Committee.
During the meeting, he emphasized the importance of strengthening regional cooperation to protect the marine environment. Officials also noted that joint coordination between member states contributes to addressing challenges that threaten environmental sustainability and marine resources.
At the 37th Executive Committee meeting of Lopme in Kuwait on January 29, 2024, Iran asked Lopme to help the country establish a regional centre for biodiversity .
“We have been working with Lopme to protect the local marine environment for over 40 years,” said Mojtaba Zoljoodi, a DOE official.
“We have tried to take effective steps to prevent and manage marine pollution and maintain our own environment. But now is the time to adopt a new approach to tackle the issue more seriously. ” he added.
He went on to say that one of the most effective policies is the use of roadmap. A document that defines strategic orientations and opens ways to achieve goals.
“Fortunately, this strategic plan was developed with the cooperation of all executive committee representatives.
We approved the prepared document and made it only minor modifications. It was handed over to Ropme before the meeting. This is what I hope is accepted by other member states,” he pointed out.
Iran and Kuwait support environmental relations
In April 2024, Iran’s Kuwait ambassador Mohammad Tutunki met with the Secretary-General of Regional Agency for Marine Environmental Protection, Mohammed Al-Ahmad discussed ways to expand environmental cooperation between the two countries. did. .
“Managing local environmental challenges and dealing with environmental pollutants. While the daily traffic of dozens of oil tankers from the Persian Gulf has poses risks for both marine life and coastal residents. It has always been one of Iran’s concerns,” he quoted the sanctuary as he said.
He went on to say that Iran is ready to work with Ropme to prevent environmental disasters, carry out research projects and hold training workshops to measure pollutants. Establish a monitoring station.
Al-Ahmad highlighted the important role of Iran, which controls half of the Persian Gulf and half of the Oman Sea. He said during a 45-year continuous monitoring of oil tanker aisles, the Ropme organization tried to reduce environmental pollution in the Persian Gulf.
He hopes to strengthen cooperation between member states and leverage the experiences of Iranian experts and practitioners to develop effective plans to deal with pollution and cleanse beaches and marine environments. did.
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