Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T12:36:08.090Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Environmental Challenges in Today’s Iran

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2022

Morad Tahbaz
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Drought, increased population, war, air pollution, climate change, industrial and agricultural production, sanctions, inefficient water and natural resource use, and lack of enforcement of existing environmental regulations have contributed to Iran’s current environmental crisis. Insufficient water resources are forcing people to migrate, putting pressure on others. Aquifers are being drained. Air pollution has made living conditions in Iran’s cities increasingly challenging. Wind erosion is furthering the desertification of agricultural land, creating greater production demand on remaining arable areas. Biodiversity is under threat. On the other hand, Iran’s environmental future can be positively influenced by the collaboration of the public, private and non-profit sectors. Awareness and education, along with greater financial and human resources, will be necessary to tackle the problem.

Type
Articles
Information
Iranian Studies , Volume 49 , Issue 6: Special Issue: Environment in Iran: Changes and Challenges , November 2016 , pp. 943 - 961
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society For Iranian Studies 2016

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alwash, Azzam, Alwash, Suzanne, and Cattarossi, Andrea. “Iraq’s Marshlands—Demise and the Impending Rebirth of an Ecosystem.” University of Nevada, August 7, 2010, http://www.ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/40737(2004)1.Google Scholar
Askari, Mansour. “Iraq’s Ecological Disaster.” International Review, February 12, 2003. http://www.int-review.org/terr36a.html.Google Scholar
Ayboga, Ercan, and Ilhan, Akgun. “Iran’s Dam Policy and the Case of Lake Urmia,” July 12, 2012. http://ekopotamya.net/index.php/2012/07/irans-dam-policy-and-the-case-of-the-lake-urmia/.Google Scholar
Crane, Keith, Lal, Rollie, and Mantini, Jeffrey. “Iran’s Political, Demographic and Economic Vulnerabilities.” Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation, 2008. http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2008/RAND_MG693.pdf.Google Scholar
Fazel, Nasim, Berndtsson, Ronny, Uvo, Cintia Bertacchi, Klove, Bjorn, and Madani, Kaveh. “Lake Urmia (Iran): Can Future Socio-ecologically Motivated River Basin Management Restore Lake Water Levels in an Arid Region with Extensive Agricultural Development?” Paper presented at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, April 12‒17, 2015.Google Scholar
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Planted Forests. Country Case Study, S. Rouchiche and M. A. Haji. http://www.fao.org/forestry/6170-0260d0070bf7a95927f12e9b6c02073b6.pdf.Google Scholar
Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Aquastat-Global Water Information System—Country Fact Sheet, January 26, 2016. http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/countries_regions/Profile_segments/IRN-WU_eng.stm.Google Scholar
Forestry, Rangelands and Water Management Organization, Islamic Republic of Iran Global Environmental Facility, World Bank. http://www.fao.org/forestry/8966-048f093779c78a0a3773e54ad75f2b450.pdf.Google Scholar
Hosseini, Vahid. “Air Pollution: Causes, Effects and Mitigating Measures.” Paper presented at Iran’s Natural Heritage Symposium, London, January 18, 2014.Google Scholar
Madani, Kaveh. “Water Management in Iran: What is Causing the Looming Crisis.” Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences 4 (Dec. 2014): 315–328. doi: 10.1007/s13412-014-0182-zCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Michel, David. “Dust Storms Cloud Iran’s Future.” Iran Primer. United States Institute of Peace, April 7, 2014. http://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2014/apr/07/dust-storms-cloud-iran%E2%80%99s-future.Google Scholar
Naghdizadegan, M., Behifar, M., and Mirbagheri, B. “Spatial Deforestation Modeling Using Cellular Automata (Case Study: Central Zagros Forests).” International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, volume XL-1W3, 2013 SMPR 2013, 5–8 October Tehran, Iran.Google Scholar
Partow, Hassan. “The Mesopotamian Marshlands: Demise of an Ecosystem.” Geneva: UNEP, 2001.Google Scholar
Proceedings of the US‒Iran Symposium on Air Pollution in Megacities. Irvine, CA: Beckman Center of the National Academy of Sciences and Engineering, September 3‒5, 2013.Google Scholar
Zamaneh, Radio. “Iran’s Environmental Needs Dwarf Current Budget Allotment.” October 30, 2015. https://en.radiozamaneh.com/articles/irans-environmental-needs-dwarf-actual-budget-allotment/.Google Scholar
Raziei, Tayeb. “Annual Rainfall Trend in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Iran.” Paper presented at International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage 21st European Regional Conference, Frankfurt, May 15‒19, 2005.Google Scholar
Rouchiche, S., and Mirsadeghi, M. A. Haji. “Role of Planted Forests and Trees Outside Forests in Sustainable Forest Management: Islamic Republic of Iran—Country Case Study.” Working Paper FP/32E. Rome: FAO. Food and Agriculture Association of the United Nations, Forestry Department, October 2003.Google Scholar
Sorel, Marc A. “A Return to Normalcy? The Restoration of Iraq’s Marshlands.” Foreign Policy Digest, November 2009.Google Scholar
United Nations Development Program (UNDP). National Plan for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutant (July 2008). http://chm.pops.int/TheConvention/ConferenceoftheParties/ReportsandDecisions/tabid/208/Default.aspx.Google Scholar
United Nations Development Program in Iran (UNDP in Iran). “Hamoun Wetlands—Current Situation and the Way Forward.” March 20, 2014. http://www.ir.undp.org/content/dam/iran/docs/News/2014/March%202014/Towards%20a%20solution%20for%20Iran’s%20dying%20wetlands/Hamoun%20Wetland/Hamoun%20Info%20Sheet.pdf.Google Scholar
Yao, Joanne. “Iraq’s First National Park: A Story of Destruction and Restoration in the Mesopotamian Marshlands.” Circle of Blue, September 4, 2013. http://www.circleofblue.org/2013/world/iraqs-first-national-park-a-story-of-destruction-and-restoration-in-the-mesopotamian-marshlands/.Google Scholar
Zahedi, Dariush. “A Growing Crisis: The Impact of Sanctions and Regime Policies on Iranians’ Economic and Social Rights.” International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, 2013. https://www.iranhumanrights.org/wp-content/uploads/A-Growing-Crisis.pdf.Google Scholar