TEHRAN – "Improving environmental performance indicators by at least five steps per year" was approved by the Expediency Council a month ago; however, some experts believe that it is not very possible considering the existing conditions, but if even half of it is realized, it is promising.

In a meeting of the Expediency Council on Wednesday, it was decided that the performance indicators of the environment be improved by at least five steps per year, at least 10 percent of air pollution of the metropolises be reduced and the effects of climate change to be contained using national, regional and international capacities in the seventh national development plan.

But according to environmental expert Naser Moghadasi, the decision is not implementable.

President Ebrahim Raisi has emphasized that the preservation of the environment is essential and an inevitable priority.There is no national index to measure the performance of the environment in accordance with the country's conditions, and this important issue should be prioritized by the relevant institutions and the cooperation of scientific and research centers, he explained.

He went on to note that the most important environmental performance index that is widely cited as a reference at the global level is the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), which is compiled and published every two years by Yale University.

Based on this index, countries are ranked in 11 issues of air quality, water resources management, water and wastewater, heavy metals, climate change management, habitats and biodiversity, ecosystem services, fishing, agriculture, acid rain, and waste management.

Yale University has announced that it has obtained the required information from scientific centers, governments, and third-party institutions, and it is not limited to government information.

Stating that Iran has been ranked 133 based on the EPI index in 2022, he noted that to upgrade at least five steps from the annual ranking based on the latest ranking of 2022 means to climb five places annually from the 133rd rank in 2022, which is not scientifically meaningful.

But if even half of it is realized and not fail, it is commendable and promising, he highlighted.

Important issues such as waste recycling, protection of biological centers and genetic reserves and sensitive ecosystems and green technologies, sustainable production, and consumption patterns are not foreseen in this resolution, so it needs to be revised, he stated.

Among these components, the situation of available water resources is worrisome, its reduction has affected the intensification of land subsidence and soil erosion, so water resources management should be given top priority. We need to define an economy that is not water-based, and we must reduce the livelihood dependence on water and soil resources to generate income, he suggested.

Referring to air pollution as another environmental crisis in the country, he stated that to solve the air pollution crisis, urban infrastructure should be changed from car-oriented to eco-oriented, and municipalities should add 10 percent annually to safe cycling routes and sidewalks so that people no longer use private cars.

In order to solve the biodiversity crisis and protect the natural habitats, educational content and films and series should be made to increase public awareness, he concluded.

Regional diplomacy for a better environment

President Ebrahim Raisi has emphasized that the preservation of the environment is essential and an inevitable priority.

“Conservation of the ecosystem and environment, which is a global concern, especially for countries of the region, is an inevitable priority today. If the environment is not safe and peaceful for people, the development will not be in its proper place and it will even become a threat to human health,” Raisi said at the conference of environment ministers and officials on July 12.

“Iran is one of the leading countries taking steps toward environmental restoration as a requirement for social development, and environmental destruction, which is a result of social and political inequalities and improper use of nature and is an important factor in the violation of human rights.

The current world is facing many environmental problems beyond geographical and political borders, and the West Asian region is facing severe sand and dust storms. 

Undoubtedly, the reduction of food and biological security, pollution, and excessive extraction of resources has led to the reduction of public health, and a negative impact on health and the economy,” he lamented.

Plans should be developed for the management and exploitation of water, air, soil, and waste management, he suggested, announcing readiness to share experiences and knowledge with neighboring countries to reduce pollution.

A union or an organization for environmental cooperation of West Asian countries should be formed to organize the required measures. Also, the establishment of a regional fund for financial support is necessary to achieve the goals of the UN resolutions, he highlighted.

FB/MG