Drought will continue to worsen in Iran by 2050

The director of Iran’s Environmental Protection Organization (IEPO) has said that drought in Iran will worsen 11-fold by 2050, adding this [climatic condition] has caused grave concerns about the future of Iran, the region and the entire world.

Fararu, a news website, on January 20 quoted Masoumeh Ebtekar as saying that weather forecasts suggest by 2050 Iran will suffer droughts and a drop in precipitation 11 times below the current level. The following is the translation of the report on a meeting in Tehran between the IEPO chief and Kaveh Zahedi, the Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP):

Ebtekar said that Iran is currently facing multiple environmental challenges. Given Iran’s great vulnerability to climate change, it is a must for UNEP to cooperate with the Islamic Republic and work out solutions to stunt the spread of such problems.

The establishment of a national environment fund could provide Iran with a window of opportunity to better tap into international potential, she said.

The government has allocated funds to revive the Lake Orumiyeh, as well as Hamoon, Anzali and Parishan lagoons, Ebtekar said, adding that the crisis involving the Hamoon Lagoon could be hopefully resolved thanks to UN partnership and more cooperation by Afghanistan.

Iran’s environment chief went on to say that UNEP can exploit Iran’s potential to create a new route of cooperation in the region via regional centers.

She also said that a 10-year report on Iran’s environment condition is being pieced together, adding that UNEP is lending technical support to Iran to that end.

Zahedi, for his part, expressed the UN’s readiness to deepen bilateral ties with Iran in the areas of capacity building, exchange of regional experiences, and following up the provisions of an agreement signed by Iran and UNEP.

He also said that in his meeting with Iranian environment officials, Iran’s cooperation priorities were decided on, adding that the UN will help implement Iran’s priorities.