National Clean Air Week to be marked

January 11, 2025 - 15:56

TEHRAN – The Department of Environment (DOE) is planning to observe National Clean Air Week from January 18 to 22, with the theme of ‘National determination for clean air with renewable energy’.

Every year, January 19 is marked as the National Clean Air Day in Iran.  It highlights the main factors in maintaining air quality, as well as the significance of public involvement in protecting the environment.

This year, the days of the week are named as follows. 

Saturday, January 18, ‘Clean Air Day’

Sunday, January 19, ‘Energy and Environment’

Monday, January 20, ‘Clean Air Law, and Environment’

Tuesday, January 21, ‘Monitoring, New Technologies, Environment’

Wednesday, January 22, ‘Transportation and Environment’

Air pollution is the second leading risk factor for death, causing around 8.1 million premature deaths annually from conditions such as stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

As the biggest environmental health risk of the time, it also exacerbates climate change, causes economic losses, and reduces agricultural productivity.

It knows no borders – everyone has a responsibility to protect our atmosphere and ensure healthy air for all.

In August 2024, Shina Ansari, head of the DOE, stressed that adopting proper policies and monitoring their implementation is the main responsibility of the department of environment to deal with air pollution.

“Decommissioning of worn-out cars, improving the quality of fuels, and vehicles, developing public transportation, providing resources, and reducing industrial emissions are among the key factors to deal with air pollution,” Ansari highlighted.

However, air pollution as a major challenge in large and industrial cities cannot be tackled in a short time, she added.

The International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies is observed annually on September 7 highlighting the significance of raising public awareness at all levels, as well as promoting and facilitating actions to improve air quality.

On September 7, 2024, the day was celebrated with the theme of ‘Invest in Clean Air Now’. It emphasized the urgent need for stronger partnerships, increased investment, and shared responsibility to combat air pollution.

Clean Air Law

Air pollution is one of the main concerns of the government; Therefore, all organizations are obliged to act based on the Clean Air Law.

The Clean Air Law, enacted in July 2017, was supposed to be a solution to ease air pollution across the country. Still, the air is severely polluted, as the responsible bodies neglect their legal duties to implement the law.

The law has defined responsibilities for the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Oil, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Transport and Urban Development, the Ministry of Industry, Mining, and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Department of Environment, the police, the municipality, the National TV, and some other organizations.

In this regard, according to the three-year plan of the Ministry of Oil, which was presented to the Department of Environment, the amount of sulfur in diesel fuel is supposed to be reduced to a great extent, in order to meet the national standard.

The importance of having clean air is such that a week in the country is named after the Clean Air Week.

MT/MG 
 

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