Scores of dams were built on almost every river. Even now, experts say the consequences of that period affect the conservation community. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, efforts to protect natural resources, wildlife, and ecosystems and to control pollution in Persia.. i. All rights reserved, Irans Asiatic cheetahs, the last cheetahs. What happens if the flu and RSV fuse into a single virus? TheIsfahan Chamber of Commercereported a year later that the drying out of the Zayandeh Roud river basin had deprived some 2 million farmers40 percent of the basins local populationof their income. With geographic, political and social divides growing wider, high-quality reporting and informed analysis are more important than ever to keep people connected. ), $12,400 (2020 est. Drought has struck the region as a whole, but especially Iran, with 2017 being its driest year in nearly seven decades. The wall of shipping containers will prevent passage for dozens of speciesincluding endangered jaguars. ), conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iranconventional short form: Iranlocal long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iranlocal short form: Iranformer: Persiaetymology: name derives from the Avestan term "aryanam" meaning "Land of the Noble [Ones]", name: Tehrangeographic coordinates: 35 42 N, 51 25 Etime difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins fourth Wednesday in March; ends fourth Friday in Septemberetymology: various explanations of the city's name have been proffered, but the most plausible states that it derives from the Persian words tah meaning "end or bottom" and ran meaning "[mountain] slope" to signify "bottom of the mountain slope"; Tehran lies at the bottom slope of the Elburz Mountains, 31 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Alborz, Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi (West Azerbaijan), Azarbayjan-e Sharqi (East Azerbaijan), Bushehr, Chahar Mahal va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Jonubi (South Khorasan), Khorasan-e Razavi (Razavi Khorasan), Khorasan-e Shomali (North Khorasan), Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Bowyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan, 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed); notable earlier dates: ca. The real winter soldiers behind the U.S.s newest national monument, See the beauty of Bhutan in a new cross-country trail, This new trail is revealing the wonders of Armenia to the world. )imports: 87,000 metric tons (2020 est. In September 2022, protests erupted across Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurd who had been detained for inappropriate dress. )$63.14 billion (2016 est. It has spent billions on fuelling conflicts, supporting terrorist militias and proxy groups and generally wreaking havoc. Tehran Pollution by Matthias Blume [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons, Iran now ranks 114 of 132 countries evaluated on 22 environmental indicators, including water resources, air pollution, biodiversity and climate change, according to the. Iranian conservationists from North America, Europe, and Australia report frequent hacking attempts and occasional death threats. )from coal and metallurgical coke: 5.142 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est. We rallied to save manatees once. )agricultural: 86 billion cubic meters (2017 est. (May 1, 2018 / BESA Center). Through the new reserves, he launched a last-ditch bid to save several species, including the Asiatic cheetah, only a few decades after Iran had lost the last of its tigers. )industrial: 1.1 billion cubic meters (2017 est. Iran is faced with a litany of environmental problems, many of which the country is only beginning to tackle as the problems reach a crisis point. The national parks, though not rolled back, struggled on as livestock returned, to the cheetahs lasting detriment. Our ability to cover the most important issues in Israel and throughout the Jewish worldwithout the standard media biasdepends on the support of committed readers. Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) - represents the roughly 150,000 Inuits of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Russia in international environmental issues; a General Assembly convenes every three years to determine the focus of the ICC; the most current concerns are long-range transport of pollutants, sustainable development, and climate change. )crude oil and lease condensate imports: 33,500 bbl/day (2018 est. More recently, however, water shortages and rising temperatures, as well as mismanagement and a lack of enforcement of existing environmental regulations, have greatly contributed to Iran's environmental crisis. We are doing the same, but we just need to be quieter than they were in the past., Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2022 National Geographic Partners, LLC. And although invitees had been carefully vetted, two Iranians who said they were filmmakers were quickly identified as suspected informants by their countrymen. In early 2013, farmers outside Isfahan destroyed a pump that diverted water from a local river to the city of Yazd some 185 miles away. Those sanctions squeezed Iran's oil exports and access to global . Outraged at the loss of water, protestors refused to allow authorities to repair the pump, sparking week-long demonstrations, armed clashes with police, and water shortages and rationing in Yazd. This is something that has not happened in the last 42 years since the mullahs took power. Activist groups have become more risk averse than everso much so that some international conservation organizations say their local partners will no longer work with them. An expansive national park network protected species found almost nowhere else in the world. Subsidy reforms initiated in 2010 will gradually require consumers to absorb the actual costs of water supplies, enhancing the incentives to be efficient. ), wheat, sugar cane, milk, sugar beet, tomatoes, barley, potatoes, oranges, poultry, apples, petroleum, petrochemicals, gas, fertilizer, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and nonferrous metal fabrication, armaments, 30.5 million (2017 est. But persecution, paranoia, and war have sunk the Middle East's most vital. There was no democracy under the shah, Laylin says. Autumn ended on Saturday, but the thick blanket of atmospheric pollution and toxic dust shrouds the skies of the capital city Tehran, once again forcing the shutdown of schools. ), improved: urban: 99.8% of populationrural: 98.1% of populationtotal: 99.4% of populationunimproved: urban: 0.2% of populationrural: 1.9% of populationtotal: 0.6% of population (2020 est. )subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 152 (2020 est. )$8.196 billion (31 December 2016 est. It seems that at least parts of Iran's security establishment is suspicious about the growing attention to environmental issues. As a result, parts of the country are experiencing unrest related to water stress.. ), China 28%, United Arab Emirates 20%, India 11%, Turkey 7%, Brazil 6%, Germany 5% (2019), rice, corn, broadcasting equipment, soybean products, beef (2019), $120.6 billion (31 December 2017 est. May 24, 2021, 4:32 PM Iran is parched. $1,044,310,000,000 (2020 est. (approximately $29.1 billion)3.4% of GDP (2017 est.) ), 9.382 million TEHRAN (capital), 3.318 million Mashhad, 2.219 million Esfahan, 1.699 million Shiraz, 1.644 million Tabriz, 1.587 million Karaj (2022), at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2022 est. All rights reserved. The Iranian government directly owns and operates hundreds of state-owned enterprises and indirectly controls many companies affiliated with the country's security forces. Groundwater is free to well owners and, due to government subsidies, users pay a fraction of the actual energy costs for pumping water to the surface. The situation has been red (extremely hazardous) for 11 days, orange (hazardous) for 90 days and amber (slightly hazardous) for 182 days during this period. )percent of population: 84% (2020 est. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain). Dr. James M. Dorsey,a non-resident Senior Associate at the BESA Center,is a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies atSingapores Nanyang Technological Universityand co-director of the University of Wrzburgs Institute for Fan Culture. Permission to reprint excerpts from The Iran Primer book should be directed to, in Iran by by Siamaksabet (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, Sanctions 6: U.S. Sanctions Many Iran Proxies, Supreme Leader Khamenei on Irans Protests, U.N. Rights Council to Investigate Irans Crackdown, Explainer: Irans Drone Exports Worldwide, U.S. Sanctions Iran-Russia Drone Facilitators, New E.U. Widespread unrest across Iran has been building in recent years, with the environmental issues faced by citizens as one of the causes, with the other issues being the severe economic decline and the regime's rule overall. If you appreciate the value of our news service and recognize how JNS stands out among the competition, please click on the link and make a one-time or monthly contribution. The nation's rivers delivered potable water; air pollution was minimal. Global Warming From Fossil Fuels. )29,011.5 (2014 est. & British Sanctions Over Irans Protests, Iran: 43 Years After U.S. Embassy Takeover, World Leaders on Mahsa Aminis Death and Protests. ), air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization, party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, particulate matter emissions: 35.09 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est. ), -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est. )$13,500 (2018 est. Metallurgical plants - industries which specialize in the science, technology, and processing of metals; these plants produce highly concentrated and toxic wastes which can contribute to pollution of ground water and air when not properly disposed. The countrys waterways are withering away, in no small part because neither conservationists nor campaigners dare voice their concerns about the environment for fear of retribution. Environmental issues in Iran include, especially in urban areas, vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents which contribute to poor air quality.Most cars use leaded gas and lack emissions control equipment. A whopping 80 percent of air pollution in Tehran is due to cars; the remaining 20 percent comes from factories and industry emissions. CNN . Also talks about US pressure on Iran over their nuclear technology program, for fear of Iran using it to develop nuclear weapons, and US sees Iran as part of an "Axis of Evil", vies for regime . However, buses and cars running on natural gas are planned to replace the existing public transportation . Overgrazing - the grazing of animals on plant material faster than it can naturally regrow leading to the permanent loss of plant cover, a common effect of too many animals grazing limited range land. Not only does the pollution of our water-sources exert a tremendous financial strain upon businesses and governments, but it is killing both humans and marine life, too. Iran has been struggling with deforestation, desertification, water scarcity, and other examples of environmental degradation. Environmental Challenges Environmental issues have exacerbated the water crisis in Iran. As one of the richest biodiversity hotspots in the region, Irans unique species are disappearing in a hurry, according to BirdLife International. ), total: 31.7 yearsmale: 31.5 yearsfemale: 32 years (2020 est. )biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est. Eco-Kids is Plan4theLand's environmental education program for children and youth. A new discovery took scientists by surprise, 3 takeaways from CITES, the worlds leading wildlife summit, Building back better for southern Africas working women, A rogue barrier threatens wildlife on Arizona border, 2-million-year-old DNA reveals a lost Arctic world, Why deforestation mattersand what we can do to stop it, Europes water crisis is much worse than we thought, Why carbon dioxide is both friend and foe. With the natural landscape increasingly fragmented by development, protests over environmental issues began to proliferate, fueling furious security responses. Who knows what would have become of the [Iranian] environment without him.. Iran has historically been called land . Environmental issues in Iran include, especially in urban areas, vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents which contribute to poor air quality. There is also concern about the drying up of wetland areas and rivers, which can . An endangered Persian leopard, Panthera pardus saxicolor, at the Budapest Zoo. Many experts believe that tackling air problems in Iran requires the environmental organization's management ability to deal with the country's non-standard and outdated factories, automakers, and petrochemical companies. One of them, Kavous Seyed-Emami, the foundations manager and a prominent sociologist, died soon after in circumstances that his family sees as suspicious; Abdolreza Koohpayeh, a conservationist and wildlife photographer, was released in March. The annual cost of Irans environmental degradation already amounts to a whopping 5 percent to 10 percent of GDP, according to the World Bank. )note: data are Iranian Government numbers, lowest 10%: 2.6%highest 10%: 29.6% (2005), revenues: 74.4 billion (2017 est. Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy. So, yeah, people were understandably angry.. Conservationism is one of the very few disciplines that is truly international, says Ali Aghili, an Iranian-born expert in wildlife management who now lives in the U.S. Like it or not, you have to mix with conservationists from Europe and Americafor funding, for the flow of knowledgeso maybe thats what makes certain regimes like Irans uncomfortable.. In countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, government policies, including water subsidies and water . And in the 1980s, the longest modern Middle East war was ignited by rival claims of control over the strategic Shatt-al Arab waterway between Iran and Iraq. Apanel of retired U.S. military officersnoted in December that since the 1979 revolution, the per capita quantity of Irans renewable water supplies has dropped by more than half, to a level commonly associated with the benchmark for water stress. Intensifying climate stresses, degraded soils, and rampant water mismanagement resulting in shortages have fueled rural unrest, which has focused the attention of security forces on environmental groups theyd previously ignored. Kerry Boyd Anderson. Exhibition of Iran Environment starts in Tehran. )services: 55% (2017 est. The official environment agency in Iran says Tehran has had only 15 days of clean weather since last March. )crude oil estimated reserves: 208.6 billion barrels (2021 est. ), 0-14 years: 24.11% (male 10,472,844/female 10,000,028)15-24 years: 13.36% (male 5,806,034/female 5,537,561)25-54 years: 48.94% (male 21,235,038/female 20,327,384)55-64 years: 7.72% (male 3,220,074/female 3,337,420)65 years and over: 5.87% (male 2,316,677/female 2,670,254) (2020 est. )consumption: 220,704,282,000 cubic meters (2019 est. )note: shortage of skilled labor, agriculture: 16.3%industry: 35.1%services: 48.6% (2013 est. Internet Sales Tumble By Half In Iran By Government Disrupting Access. Much of Iran consists of a central desert plateau, which is ringed on all sides by lofty mountain ranges that afford access to the interior through high passes. Environmental issues in Iran have forced the country's cement industry to take major steps in controlling the pollution. The Interior Ministry has called for a national ban on dilapidated cars that contribute to the worsening air pollution in Iranian cities. Environmental Problems in Iran | Financial Tribune Saturday December 10, 2022 Environmental Problems in Iran Tehran Air Gets Cleaner in Oct. October 30,2021 The Iranian capital's residents. While Iran has had some success in making its own clean air technology, local industry still lacks the capacity to supply the growing car market, the Tehran-based environmentalist said. The protest occurred some three months after Iran was wracked by weeks of anti-government demonstrations. After years of careful, often covert environmental activism, young Iranians have developed their own ways of getting things done. The residents of Iranian capital breathed in more polluted air in March compared with the corresponding month of last year, data released by Tehran Air Quality Control Company show. There might be worse to come. Imprisoned conservationists from the Persian Heritage Wildlife Foundation. Environmental concerns have figured prominently in protests in recent years, often in regions populated by ethnic minorities likeAzeris andIranian Arabs. Desertification - the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or semi-arid areas, due to overgrazing, loss of agriculturally productive soils, or climate change. Irans Asiatic cheetahs, the last cheetahs outside of Africa, are down to a few dozen animals. The complicated answer is wrapped up in Irans turbulent modern history. Drift-net fishing - done with a net, miles in extent, that is generally anchored to a boat and left to float with the tide; often results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of non-commercial marine species (by-catch) by its effect of "sweeping the ocean clean." )spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est. An expansive national park network protected species found almost nowhere else in the world. In May 2017, the re-election of President Hasan RUHANI generated widespread public expectations that the economic benefits of the JCPOA would expand and reach all levels of society. Drought, increased population, war, air pollution, climate change, industrial and agricultural production, sanctions, inefficient water and natural resource use, and lack of enforcement of existing environmental regulations have contributed to Iran's current environmental crisis. Ninety percent of the countrywhich is slightly smaller than Alaskais arid or semi-arid, and an estimated two-thirds of its rainfall evaporates before it can replenish rivers. ), total: 9,564,195 (2020 est. ), 39.5% of GDP (2017 est. If you talk about religion, about the hijab, you have people on both sides, but the environment unifies people. Iranians want more freedom." 2 Citing unnamed senior U.S. government officials, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz noted that U.S. policymakers "believe there is now a rare opportunity to bring about the collapse of the Iranian regime." 3 Not to be outdone, Trump adviser Rudolph Giuliani predicted that "the people of Iran obviously have had enough. (Dudka and Adriano 1997 ). Wildlife conservationists found themselves under renewed fire. Iran was absolutely unique in that time, says Raul Valdez, a professor emeritus at New Mexico State University, who worked at the DoE in the 1970s. Lake Urmia is one of the country's major concerns right now. ), urban population: 76.8% of total population (2022)rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est. )proven reserves: 1.203 billion metric tons (2019 est. Yet Iran's water problems are mostly manmade and the product of decades of poor management caused by lack of foresight, uncoordinated planning and the wrong perception of development." Current environment minister Isa Kalantari told AFP in 2018 that the country faced losing 70% of its farmland in the coming decades, noting in the past "we . Organized by the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, Innovation and Prosperity Fund, National Environment Fund, and . The government has sought to tackle the issue by promoting reduced water consumption and water conservation, halting construction of dams, combating evaporation by building underground water distribution networks, introducing water meters in agriculture, encouraging farmers to opt for less water-intensive crops, multiplying the number of treatment plants and looking at desalination as a way of increasing supply. Thats why its a problem for part of the system., (Read more about the impact of drought in Irans driest corner.). Another indicator of Iran's red-status ecosystem is the destruction of the country's lakes and wetlands. If you talk about religion, about the hijab, you have people on both sides, but the environment unifies people. ), total petroleum production: 3,450,300 bbl/day (2021 est. The issues that were at the core of the initial protests in Syria in 2011unemployment, corruption and inequalitywere at the heart of Iranian anti-government demonstrations in December and January. In the 1970s, environmental concerns completely halted the road's progress, and locals nicknamed the unfinished 7.2-mile (11.6 km) road "The Road to Nowhere" . An Asiatic cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, wanders the Miandasht Wildlife Reserve in Iran. Although Iran established a Department. ), household consumption: 49.7% (2017 est. In contrast, tough U.S. and international sanctions shrunk Irans GDP by some 1.4 percent in 2012, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Despite intensive control operations, hopper bands and swarms continue to form along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border where an Air pollution has become a source of serious concern to the Iranian capitals residents in the absence of workable solutions, Tehrans Mayor Pirouz Hanachi said while detailing plans to curb the More than 57% of the population of 80 million is affected by the impact of dust storms, secretary of the Technology Development Council of Water, Drought, Erosion and Environment said. Heres why thats good. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Iranian leaders are struggling, three months after anti-government protests swept the Islamic Republic, to ensure that environmental issues that helped spark a popular uprising in Syria in 2011 leading to a brutal civil war don't threaten the clergy's grip on power. In Afghanistan.. i. Switzerland is the U.S. protecting power and provides limited . Pressing environmental concerns. Environmental issues in Iran include, especially in urban areas, vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents which contribute to poor air quality. Theyre showing that nowhere is safe.. The lifting of most nuclear-related sanctions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in January 2016 sparked a restoration of Irans oil production and revenue that drove rapid GDP growth, but economic growth declined in 2017 as oil production plateaued. ), total: 14.84 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 15.97 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 13.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est. The. Environmental protection efforts before the 1979 Revolution.In Persia conservation consciousness began, as it so often does, with concern for wildlife. Tehran is rated as one of the world's most polluted cities. Acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide; acid rain is damaging and potentially deadly to the earth's fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using the pH scale where 7 is neutral, values greater than 7 are considered alkaline, and values below 5.6 are considered acid precipitation; note - a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been measured in rainfall in New England. ), production: 2.783 million metric tons (2020 est. Just a few decades ago, Iran boasted the greenest government in the Middle East. These trips help you embrace itor escape it. Environmental problems fuel Iran protests. )$12,400 (2019 est. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation - a portion of the electromagnetic energy emitted by the sun and naturally filtered in the upper atmosphere by the ozone layer; UV radiation can be harmful to living organisms and has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in humans. ), 15.27 births/1,000 population (2022 est. )geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est. )wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est. )exports: 76,000 metric tons (2020 est. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran have had no formal diplomatic relationship since that date. The environment is being securitized because its a potential unifier, says Kaveh Madani, an environmental scientist at Yale University, who previously served as deputy head of the Iranian DoE. )$16.28 billion (2016 est. 550 B.C. )industry: 35.3% (2016 est. Iran faces other serious environmental risks. Iran, Iraq confer on environmental issues. Through the newly created Department of the Environment (DoE), Firouz was even able to temper some of the worst consequences of rampant development, which had accelerated following the post-1973 oil boom. Water Water pollution is, of course, a significant concern, as our dependence on water forms one of our most crucial interactions with the natural environment. Here are 30 of the most critical environmental concerns to keep an eye on today. ), Iranian rials (IRR) per US dollar -32,769.7 (2017 est. April 1, 2022. Nearly all women suffer from hot flashes during menopause. )note: data are in 2017 dollars, 3.7% (2017 est. With agriculture the main culprit in Irans inefficient use of water, Iranian officials fear that the crisis will accelerate migration from the countryside to urban centers incapable of catering to the migrants, and in turn, increase popular discontent. Can we do it again? ), number of registered air carriers: 22 (2020)inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 237annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 25,604,871 (2018)annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 290.74 million (2018) mt-km, total: 140over 3,047 m: 422,438 to 3,047 m: 291,524 to 2,437 m: 26914 to 1,523 m: 36under 914 m: 7 (2021), total: 179over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 9914 to 1,523 m: 135under 914 m: 32 (2021), 7 km condensate, 973 km condensate/gas, 20,794 km gas, 570 km liquid petroleum gas, 8,625 km oil, 7,937 km refined products (2013), total: 8,483.5 km (2014)standard gauge: 8,389.5 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (189.5 km electrified)broad gauge: 94 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge, total: 223,485 km (2018)paved: 195,485 km (2018)unpaved: 28,000 km (2018), 850 km (2012) (on Karun River; some navigation on Lake Urmia), total: 893by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 31, general cargo 371, oil tanker 84, other 375 (2021), major seaport(s): Bandar-e Asaluyeh, Bandar Abbas, Bandar-e Emam Khomeynicontainer port(s) (TEUs): Bandar Abbas, the military forces of Iran are divided between the Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah)Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces or Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Air Force, Air Defense Forces; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC or Sepah): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines), Aerospace Force (controls strategic missile force), Qods Force (aka Quds Force; special operations), Cyber Electronic Command, Basij Paramilitary Forces; Law Enforcement Forces (2022)note 1: the Artesh Navy operates Irans larger warships and operates in the Gulf of Oman, the Caspian Sea, and deep waters in the region and beyond; the IRGC Navy has responsibility for the closer-in Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuznote 2: the Basij is a volunteer paramilitary group under the IRGC with local organizations across the country, which sometimes acts as an auxiliary law enforcement unit; it is formally known as the Organization for the Mobilization of the Oppressed; it is also known as the Popular Mobilization Armynote 3:Law Enforcement Forces include border and security troops, 2.3% of GDP (2021 est. It also supports national food security, a top priority since the 1979 revolution was carried out in the name of the oppressed. Indeed, Tehran subsidizes producers and consumers alike in a dual strategy to promote self-sufficiency in staple crops by bolstering both supply and demand. )percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 5% (2017 est. Over time, valuable resources will be further depleted, productivity diminished, and public health damaged. funding for the road in 2000, the park service conducted an environmental impact study (released in 2007) and concluded that the road's construction would cause "major, adverse, long . Three more environmentalists were arrested a month later, andSeyed-Emamis wifewas prevented from leaving Iran. In Persia.. ii. As a result of the Iranian takeover of the American Embassy on November 4, 1979, the United States and Iran severed diplomatic relations in April 1980. Siltation - occurs when water channels and reservoirs become clotted with silt and mud, a side effect of deforestation and soil erosion. Salination - the process through which fresh (drinkable) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops. Unsurprisingly, there was little space for environmentalists in the new Iran. We know we have a history of protecting our environment, said the activist I met at the conference last year. This case has swept unprecedented terror across Iranian environmentalism. )30,914.9 (2016 est. Meanwhile, tighter U.S.-led sanctions on Iran made it tricky for foreign donors to support environmental work in the country or for Iranians to fund their own programs, while paranoid security officials took a dimmer view of cross-border collaborations, a particular problem in this field. Thousands of miles of highways were laid through almost every habitat. ), total dependency ratio: 45.3youth dependency ratio: 34.6elderly dependency ratio: 10.7potential support ratio: 9.3 (2021 est. Environmentalists increasingly find themselves in the firing line. The Iranian lion's 's race who lived in the provinces of Fars, Kohkiloyeh, and Boyer Ahmad and . Sunflowers make bees poopa lot. The environmental impacts for animals and plants have also been catastrophic. )12.5% (2016 est. The cost of new technologies, conservation practices and other measures to meet projected water needs in 2050 could top $3 billion a year, experts say. The demonstrations, the largest in years, quickly evolved into calls for the ouster of the supreme leader and an end to the Islamic Republic. Corruption and mismanagement at the highest levels of the Iranian regime have produced years of environmental exploitation and degradation throughout the country. Deforestation - the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g., unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without planting new growth. Baghdad(IP)-The ambassador of Iran to Iraq announced the readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran to share all its experiences, facilities, and capabilities in order to overcome the problems of dust storms, dust storms, hurricanes, and drought. )exports of goods and services: 26% (2017 est. )rural: 0% of populationtotal: 0% of population (2020 est. . Surmounting Irans environmental challenges will require serious reorientation of policies and resources. The Iranian capitals sky has gone hazy again with a suffocating blanket of smog falling over Tehran and the urban officials only response was to close primary schools and kindergartens. Iran has reason to fear both Saudi Arabias activist crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman, and U.S. President Donald Trump, whose antipathy towards the Islamic Republic has been bolstered by the appointment of hardliner John Bolton as his national security advisor. )-1.6% (2015 est. But he faced frequent monitoring and pressures, such as limits on the amount of gas he could purchaseand hence a limit on how far he could travel alone, according to his daughter. Starting in the 1960s, he created what was then one of the most extensive national park networks anywhere in the world. Toothless and paltry: Critics slam USDAs fines for animal welfare violations, The industry made famous in 'Tiger King' to be banned, A rare look at the worlds most expensive sheep. The Iranian capitals residents inhaled less polluted air in October compared with the same period of last year, data from Tehran Municipality show. Please be respectful of copyright. How did this royal tomb become an ancient wonder? The delegation's meeting with a large team from the Department of Environment underscored the gravity of Iran's environmental threat and the seriousness with which the Iranians are approaching it. November 25, 2019 20:32. )crude oil and lease condensate exports: 2,230,900 bbl/day (2018 est. Iran's biggest environmental concern used to be air pollution. )imports of goods and services: -24.9% (2017 est. Most cars use leaded gas and lack emissions control equipment. Over 70 companies active in environmental issues are the attendees of the international event. This includes hundreds of ponds and small lakes along with dozens of wetlands and big lakes. Irans economic policies have exacerbated the problem. Iran is far from alone in targeting its conservationists. With agriculture the main culprit in Irans inefficient use of water, officials fear that the crisis will accelerate migration from the countryside to urban centers incapable of catering to the migrants, and in turn, increase popular discontent. They were also not designed or intended to deal with environmental challenges. But the problem is not confined to drinking water as severe droughts and water mismanagement have crippled the agriculture sector and exacerbated environmental degradation. The environmental impact of mining operations. And despite a lack of jobs, the number of wildlife professionals has, as well. Irans water problems now risk undermining the national economy. People helped them reboundbut recent die-offs are a worrying sign. )9.6% (2017 est. )12.4% (2016 est. Tehran is rated as one of the world's most polluted cities. You cant sugarcoat it. 108 - Qaem Maqam Farahani St. Tehran, Iran, Financial Tribune Daily and Contributors 2014-2018. Iran's encroaching desertification Iran is fast approaching an ecological disaster. Groundwater - water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and natural springs. Demonstrators in the province of Isfahan last month clashed with security forces after they took to the streets toprotest water shortages. Economy & Environment Iran Protests. )investment in inventories: 14.5% (2017 est. Ecosystems - ecological units comprised of complex communities of organisms and their specific environments. Iran Environment 2022 to unveil national programs. Despite intense global lobbying and apparent efforts from within the Iranian government to alleviate their plight (a documentary that presented them as spies was taken off air just as the opening credits began to roll), the rest remain jailed. These animals need to be able to move to survive., Why deforestation mattersand what we can do to stop it, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2022 National Geographic Partners, LLC. According to the World Health Organization, Iran has three of the worlds five most polluted citiesAhwaz, Kermanshah, and Sanandajthat are choked by annual levels of air pollution that are ten to eighteen times higher than WHOs maximum guidelines. State TV subsequently reported that Seyed-Emami and his colleagues had told Irans enemies that the country could no longer maintain domestic agriculture production because of water shortages, and needed to import food. 1. )$133.7 billion (31 December 2016 est. When they found an area that was appropriate for conservation it was made by fiat into a park. Yet even by global standards, observers say the breadth and dark portent of the governments most recent crackdown is worrisome. Persian Fallow deer, Dama mesopotamica, at Berlin Tierpark. These calamities have become a source of social and economic hardship, a threat to public health and a factor in mounting political protests. There was absolute respect for wildlife.. Slash-and-burn agriculture - a rotating cultivation technique in which trees are cut down and burned in order to clear land for temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity declines at which point a new plot is selected and the process repeats; this practice is sustainable while population levels are low and time is permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation; conversely, where these conditions do not exist, the practice can have disastrous consequences for the environment. The damage from water stress, desertification and pollution--could impose debilitating burdens long-term. Effluents - waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial waste which are released into the environment, subsequently polluting it. Of the country's 85 million people, some 28 million people live in water-stressed. Declining rainfall, higher temperatures, desertification and extreme weather all place added pressure on Iran's water supply. Is it possible to cure hot flashes? ), total subscriptions: 29,093,587 (2020 est. A new purple (ultra-hazardous) level has also been introduced this week. Defoliants - chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control, and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health. Fierce sheep dogs remain some of the big cats most prolific killers. )subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est. Ants make milk? )imports: 2.738 billion kWh (2019 est. In a measure of the fear gripping the community, several wildlife experts contacted for this article both inside and outside Iran asked that their details be deleted altogether. Afforestation - converting a bare or agricultural space by planting trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire. Over 90 percent of [Irans] population and economic production are located in areas of high or very high water stress. RUHANI will need to implement structural reforms that strengthen the banking sector and improve Irans business climate to attract foreign investment and encourage the growth of the private sector. Irans revolutionary guards and courts have effectively obliterated the civic space required for legitimate wildlife conservation.". Size and style. BESA Center Perspectives Papers are published through the generosity of the Greg Rosshandler Family. I find it ironic that my dad was given awards, including one from the government, says Lobat Asadi, a writer and fellow conservationist. He fled Iran in 2018 due to security troubles. They were brought to the U.S. as childrenand for many, its the only home theyve ever known. 55, Tehran, three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band; green is the color of Islam and also represents growth, white symbolizes honesty and peace, red stands for bravery and martyrdom, name: "Soroud-e Melli-ye Jomhouri-ye Eslami-ye Iran" (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran)lyrics/music: multiple authors/Hassan RIAHInote 1: adopted 1990; Iran has had six national anthems; the first, entitled "Salam-e Shah" (Royal Salute) was in use from 1873-1909; next came "Salamati-ye Dowlat-e Elliye-ye Iran" (Salute of the Sublime State of Persia, 1909-1933); it was followed by "Sorud-e melli" (The Imperial Anthem of Iran; 1933-1979), which chronicled the exploits of the Pahlavi Dynasty; "Ey Iran" (Oh Iran) functioned unofficially as the national anthem for a brief period between the ouster of the Shah in 1979 and the early days of the Islamic Republic in 1980; "Payandeh Bada Iran" (Long Live Iran) was used between 1980 and 1990 during the time of Ayatollah KHOMEINInote 2: a recording of the current Iranian national anthem is unavailable since the US Navy Band does not record anthems for countries from which the US does not anticipate official visits; the US does not have diplomatic relations with Iran, total World Heritage Sites: 26 (24 cultural, 2 natural)selected World Heritage Site locales: Persepolis (c); Tchogha Zanbil (c); Bam and its Cultural Landscape (c); Golestan Palace (c); Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System (c); Pasargadae (c); Hyrcanian Forests (n); Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex (c); Meidan Emam, Esfahan (c); Bisotun (c). Environmental education is new in Iran, and so we are exploring innovative and creative educational approaches as we encourage children to work cooperatively for environmental conservation. )expenditures: 84.45 billion (2017 est. Catchments - assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and runoff; an important water management technique in areas with limited freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar. For Iranian leaders, the threat is real irrespective of the difference in emphasis between Kelly and de Chatel. Distortions - including corruption, price controls, subsidies, and a banking system holding billions of dollars of non-performing loans - weigh down the economy, undermining the potential for private-sector-led growth. In the Karkheh Basin, water managers have to decide what to do about lower river flowswhether to retain water in the Karkheh Dam to build reserves for hydropower or whether to release water downstream for irrigation to a region considered to be Irans food basket. Aerosol - a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas, smoke, or fog. (Wikipedia), Middle East water expert Francesca de Chatel, Iranian agriculture minister Issa Kalantari. Sunday, 11/13/2022. The Eco-Kids program is now in most of the urban regions of Iran. )from consumed natural gas: 436.687 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est. ), degree of risk: intermediate (2020)food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrheavectorborne diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fevernote: a new coronavirus is causing sustained community spread of respiratory illness (COVID-19) in Iran; sustained community spread means that people have been infected with the virus, but how or where they became infected is not known, and the spread is ongoing; illness with this virus has ranged from mild to severe with fatalities reported; as of 18 August 2022, Iran has reported a total of 7,493,317 cases of COVID-19 or 8,921.36 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with a total of 143,160 cumulative deaths or a rate 170.44 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population, total: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est. )$1.102 trillion (2018 est. In the last 70 years, various species of animals have become extinct in Iran. Contents 1 Issues 1.1 Oil spills 1.2 Sanitation 1.3 Unexploded ordnance 1.4 Pollution 1.5 Land degradation 1.6 River basins 2 Government response 3 See also 4 References 5 External links Issues [ edit] Oil spills [ edit] Any edits must be authorized by the author. FormerIranian agriculture minister Issa Kalantariwarned in 2015 that left unresolved, the water crisis would force 50 million Iranians to migrate within the next 25 years. Private sector activity includes small-scale workshops, farming, some manufacturing, and services, in addition to medium-scale construction, cement production, mining, and metalworking. )consumption: 279,826,390,000 kWh (2019 est. In January, authorities arrestedKavous Seyed-Emami, a dual Iranian-Canadian national who directed the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation, as well as six other environmentalists. Almost half of the Internet service providers in Iran have seen a 50% drop in sales due to disruptions, censorship, and Internet shutdowns by the government during protests. New!! Environmental issues in Iraq Iraq has a number of environmental issues . Unauthorized use is prohibited. She asserted further that the protest movement-turned-war in Syria would not have persisted without input and support from organized groups in Syria who had been planning for this moment for years and certainly since before 2006 or the start of the drought.. )male: 24.1% (2020 est. )exports: 17,607,046,000 cubic meters (2019 est. Like Syria, Iran has been suffering a drought that has . The uprising has to do with the governments failure to respond to the drought, and with broader feelings of discontent in rural areas, and the growing gap between rich and poor, and urban and rural areas during the 2000s, than with the drought itself, addedMiddle East water expert Francesca de Chatel. 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