TEHRAN – Shina Ansari, the head of the Department of Environment, has said the decisions that will be adopted by the representatives of the countries attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP29, should contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change.

The official is attending the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change which is taking place from November 11 to 22 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

She made the remarks on the sidelines of the opening session, in a meeting with Qatari Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, dolat.ir reported. 

The two sides discussed ways for boosting cooperation. During the meeting, Ansari highlighted that Iran and Qatar are among the countries most affected by climate change, particularly, sand and dust storms (SDSs). 

“Climate change has already impacted several provinces and caused severe environmental issues in the country. However, addressing the consequences of climate change requires collaborative efforts of regional countries,’ she added.

The official said that Qatar is a member state of the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) which further underscores the significance of the two countries’ cooperation.

Referring to marine ecosystems’ significance in climate change, Ansari said the capabilities of the ROPME have been neglected. “We expect this environmental convention among Persian Gulf states to take effect.”

The official went on to voice the country’s interest in fostering environmental cooperation as well as sharing expertise and experiences with all neighboring countries, particularly Qatar.

Ansari expressed optimism that enhancing collaborations between Iran and Qatar would encourage neighboring countries to help launch a specialized working group to tackle sand and dust storms.

Qatar ready to cooperate with Iran to address SDSs

Qatar’s newly appointed ambassador in Tehran Saad bin Abdullah Al-Mohammad Al-Sharif in a meeting with Ansari on Sunday in Tehran announced that Qatar is completely prepared to collaborate with Iran in the fight against sand and dust storms (SDSs).

Highlighting the friendly relationship between the two countries, the Qatari official said, “Qatar pays great attention to environmental issues. In this regard, we are fully prepared to cooperate with Iran to combat sand and dust storms, and we would also like to receive Tehran’s proposals on managing this phenomenon.”

Ansari, for her part, expressed Iran’s interest in expanding environmental collaborations, sharing expertise with Qatar.

The official went on to say that dust is one of the most important environmental issues in Iran which has also impacted the region for a long time and has had numerous environmental impacts on several provinces. Regional cooperation is needed to manage the problem.

Ansari said the geographical proximity, and close relationships of the two countries, and their memberships in the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) further underscores the significance of the two countries’ cooperation.

“We are also interested in boosting cooperation around the ROPME convention and utilizing its capacities to solve the environmental issues of the Persian Gulf,” Ansari noted.

COP29 an opportunity to condemn sanctions 

A key focus of COP29 will be on finance, as trillions of dollars are required for countries to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect lives and livelihoods from the worsening impacts of climate change.

The main goals of the convention include stabilizing the greenhouse gas concentration in the earth’s atmosphere, submitting periodic reports on the national climate change situation, and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as implementing programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Among the key priorities of COP 29 are securing a new goal on climate finance, ensuring every country has the means to take much stronger climate action, slashing greenhouse gas emissions, and building resilient communities. 

The fact is that some countries have played the greatest role in the destruction of the environment, and they have the most facilities to prevent the resulting crisis. 

However, there are countries that have done the least to contribute to environmental destruction. By imposing unfair sanctions, the first group has deprived the second of their rights to access needed resources to tackle these problems.

Iran is one of the countries that has been greatly affected by climate change. However, coercive measures have deprived the country of its rights in many sectors including the environment. 

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the effects of climate change requires substantial funding to update technologies and make sure industries are efficient enough to emit less pollution into the atmosphere.

Iran’s participation in COP29 is of great importance. Attending the conference will serve as an opportunity to hold international negotiations to defend the rights and interests of the country and call for ending cruel sanctions.

It should be noted that environmental issues are cross-border; when dust rises from a country like Iraq, Iran, and other neighboring countries are also affected. In such a situation, sanctions and restrictions are meaningless.

MT/ MG