TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) has announced the beginning of a new phase of the wetlands conservation project (2025 –2028) to strengthen sustainable livelihoods and alleviate pressure on the wetlands ecosystem.

Backed by successful experiences in Lake Urmia, the basins in Gilan, Fars, Parishan, and those in East and West Azerbaijan provinces, the project has provided the basis for promoting wetland protection and improving sustainable resource utilization, IRIB quoted Fereshte Jadori, an official with DOE, as saying on Tuesday.

The pilot implementation of the project in Shadegan and Behbahan in the previous phase yielded significant results, and these achievements led the project to enter a new phase with the support of international institutions and domestic agencies, she added.

The official went on to highlight the role of technical and vocational education and training in empowering local people to protect wetlands and improve their income.

 Improving wetland conservation

Wetlands represent a vital ecosystem and are known as the kidneys of the Earth. These ecosystems, among other things, provide clean water, protect against floods, restore underground aquifers, and maintain surface water flow during dry periods.

Iran’s geography is distinct, teeming with diverse landscapes. In Iran, 141 wetlands with ecological value, with an area of over 3 million hectares, have been identified, 27 of which were listed in the International Ramsar Convention.

The most recent strategies taken for the conservation of the wetlands are as follows. In June, the DOE and the Ministry of Agriculture signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to launch a national plan for empowering local communities to protect and promote the sustainable use of wetlands.

The main objective of the MOU was to turn wetland protection from a government initiative into a comprehensive social responsibility by focusing on training, empowering, and involving local communities.

In February, the DOE and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) extended their partnership by signing a three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) to conserve Iranian wetlands projects in the country.

The MOU was signed by the head of DOE, Shina Ansari, and Resident Representative ad interim for UNDP in Iran, Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé, in a meeting in Bushehr province, ISNA reported.

Launched in 2005, the Conservation of the Iranian Wetlands Project (CIWP) has been instrumental in safeguarding Iran’s target wetlands through an ecosystem-based management approach.

During the meeting, the UN Resident Coordinator for Iran, Stefan Priesner, said this MOU and its extension are among the most important pillars of wetlands conservation in the UN road map.

Iran plays a key role in establishing the Ramsar Convention, highlighting that the Ramsar Convention is one of the initial international agreements on sustainable development, he added.

The official went on to say, “We are facing a triple environmental crisis, including climate change, biodiversity crises, and air pollution. The United Nations has a precise and coherent plan to solve these three problems.”

MT/MG