TEHRAN –With the approval of Iran’s proposal on protecting Zagros forests at the eighty-first annual session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the issue is placed on the agenda of the Asia-Pacific Center for the Development of Disaster Information Management (APDIM).

Zagros forests are among the most important natural resources of Iran, as they constitute 40 percent of the country’s forests, and play an important role in the production of a large part of the country’s freshwater.

The eighty-first session of ESCAP was held from April 21 to 25 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, guided by the theme ‘Regional cooperation for resilient and sustainable urban development in Asia and the Pacific’.

The country actively participated in the meeting, negotiating mainly on transportation, environment, disaster resilience, energy, poverty reduction, and development financing. They also submitted the report of the governing council along with the APDIM strategic plan. 

The 81st session served as an opportunity to foster inclusive urban growth and promote steadfast action for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels.

It further underscores the critical role of regional cooperation in overcoming the challenges faced by cities and identifies shared approaches to localizing global goals, enhancing multilevel climate action, and fostering inclusive urban growth. It also emphasized the importance of data, digital transformation, and innovative financing in supporting sustainable urban development and ensuring cities are equipped to navigate the complex future ahead.

Intl. conference on Zagros forests to be held

The Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization is planning to hold an international conference on Zagros forests in the current Iranian calendar year, which started on March 21.

Highlighting that promoting natural resources diplomacy is one of the priorities of the organization, Rasoul Ashrafipour, an official with the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization, said “We will particularly invite countries with a Mediterranean climate, in which vegetation is similar to that of Zagros and have taken effective measures toward its preservation, as well as countries with arid and semi-arid climates,” ISNA reported.

Referring to climate change’s adverse effects on natural resources, Ashrafipour said that Meteorological data show that the increase in temperature in the country has been higher than the global average, which has a significant impact on climate change.

Therefore, the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization, in cooperation with the Metrological Organization, will prepare some new documents in the next six months, the official noted.

MT/MG