TEHRAN – The Ministry of the Environment (DOE) has outlined the measures taken by the country at a global level to deal with sand and sandstorms (SDSS) over the past few years.
Duststorm is a critical environmental challenge that has a negative impact on food security, human health, and sustainable development processes at the national and local level.
Located in arid, semi-arid regions, Iran is being adversely affected by climate change. Rising temperatures, lower precipitation, intensifying droughts, and frequent SDSS not only threatened ecosystems and biodiversity, but also put the country’s food security at risk by exacerbating soil erosion, expanding desertification and lowering agricultural productivity.
Below are the steps taken by the state to mitigate the harmful effects of SDSS.
Recognizing that sand and sandstorms on various scales and their negative impacts are issues of international concern, declared July 12 at the UN General Assembly of Iran’s initiative.
International Day to fight SDSS in 2023. The day highlights the need for global and local cooperation to manage and mitigate the impact of SDSS, and aims to raise awareness about the importance of health and sustainability.
Additionally, the 6th United Nations Environment Parliament (UNEA-6), held from February 26th to March 1st, approved the resolution adopted at the International Summit on Response to Sand and Sandstorms in Tehran in September 2023.
Among other measures are close cooperation with specialized agencies, particularly the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the adoption of other programs focused on forecasting, early warning, improving national capacity, and developing innovative strategies to increase the resilience of the country’s top agenda.
SDSS, SDGS
Sand and sandstorms pose a frighteningly broad challenge to achieve sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental aspects. They have become a serious global concern over the past few decades as they have a major impact on the environment, health, agriculture, livelihoods and socioeconomic well-being.
SDS is a key component of the Earth’s natural biochemical cycle, but is also partly caused by human-induced drivers, such as climate change and unsustainable land management and water use. Second, sand and sandstorms contribute to climate change and air pollution. Their impacts are felt in all parts of the world, both in developed and developing countries, and pose serious challenges to achieving zero hunger, health, water and sanitation, economic growth, urban, climate action, biodiversity, forests, forests, urban behavior, urban behavior, forests, forests, urban behavior, forests, forests, and 11 of the 17 sustainable development goals.
At least 25% of the world’s dust emissions come from human activity, and in some regions, desert dust doubled in the 20th century. The effects of this phenomenon are difficult to control as human activity in one part of the world can cause sand and dust storms in another area. However, just as SDS is caused by human activity, these storms can also be reduced by human behavior.
Additionally, the UN General Assembly highlights the need for cooperation at the global and regional level, turning to prevent, manage and mitigate the impact of sand and sandstorms through strengthening early warning systems and sharing climate and weather information to predict sand and sandstorms.
The General Assembly confirmed that resilient actions to combat and reduce sand and sandstorms require a better understanding of the intense, multidimensional impacts of sand and sandstorms, including worsening health, happiness and livelihoods, desertification and land deterioration, deforestation, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and reduced productivity.
Iranian techniques to deal with the SDS challenge
Iranian researchers have used inherent techniques to mitigate and control the effects of SDS as the frequency and intensity of sand and sandstorms (SDSS) in various states of the country.
Below are several approaches being adopted to address SDSS which have a major impact on public health, the ISNA reports.
Development of non-oil and environmentally friendly mulch: mulch is an alternative to traditional oil-based mulch, causing serious environmental damage. These types of mulch have been developed from compost, gingival and starch products provided by the Institute of Agriculture Biotechnology, the University of Tehran, the Organization of Forests and Rangeland, and researchers at Fuzestan Science and Technology Park.
Nano and Polymer Multi: Developed by Sharif University of Technology and the Center for Materials and Energy Research, products use nanoparticles to produce coatings with high adhesion and long-term durability. Nanomultique is environmentally friendly and has been tested in parts of the country’s central and southwest.
Indigenous Early Warning System: Iranian weather organizations have launched a satellite dust surveillance system that uses remote sensing data to predict dust storm travel paths. To this end, the organization has developed collaborations with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Weather Organization (WMO) to upgrade these systems.
Air Pollution Warning App: Several native apps have been developed for viewing data from air quality monitoring stations, such as “Iranian Meteorology” software, “Zarin Meteorology” software, or the Ministry of Environment’s web-based systems.
Restoration of water resources and wetlands employing new technologies: Restoring the wetlands of Al Azim, Baktegan and Jazzmoria in time, implementing smart water use projects with drainage control and wastewater treatment, recycle urban water for re-entering urban water to re-enter the wetland floors, and applied as a solution of fine dust.
Green Belt Plan: This strategy focuses on planting low-water and drought-resistant plants such as ash trees and bitter olives, establishing green spaces around Tehran and industrial cities to control the risk of SDS.
Urban Air Purifiers: Iranian knowledge-based companies have developed air filters for public places, schools and even open spaces, but are being tested in limited locations
Despite international sanctions and restrictions, Iran has been able to take measures in areas such as satellite surveillance, biomultiple and scientific desertification. However, financial support, extensive implementation and regional cooperation with neighboring countries is needed to ensure that they can pursue the path.
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