TEHRAN – President Masoud Pezeshkian has underlined the shared responsibility of each individual for the protection of the environment, saying, “We all bear the responsibility to care for the environment."

Referring to Article 50 of the Constitution, which regards the protection of the environment as a public duty, the president said, “We all bear the responsibility to care for the environment,” IRNA reported.

“World Environment Day and Week warn about the present and the future of life on Earth,” he wrote on his X account on the occasion of World Environment Day, observed on June 5 every year, and National Environment Week, being observed from June 6 to 12.

All governments and societies need to prioritize the sustainability of natural infrastructures in any decision and action, he added.

No national security without environmental security: DOE head

The head of the Department of Environment (DOE), Shina Ansari, has elaborated on different measures taken to address environmental challenges, saying that national security cannot be realized without paying attention to the environment.

Environmental degradation, air and soil pollution, and the destruction of protected areas have shown that environmental security is directly tied to national security, she noted.

In a press conference on the occasion of the National Environment Week, Ansari said that over the past Iranian year (March 2025 –March 2026) apart from environmental challenges like drought, climate change, and dust storms, the country went through complicated situations experiencing the irreparable harms caused by the two imposed wars (the 12-day war in June last year, and the recent 40-day war) on civilian, cultural, and environmental infrastructures.

“Despite all these challenges, the Department of Environment has stood by the people and the country, striving to mitigate the adverse impacts and strengthen national security.”

The national resilience depends on environmental security. Without clean water, air, fertile soil, and sustainable biodiversity, it is impossible to talk about sustainable security, Ansari added.

Referring to the theme of World Environment Day 2026, ‘Act Now for Climate’, Ansari said this year’s theme highlights that despite all the problems and obstacles, continuous commitment and efforts are required to address environmental challenges, particularly regarding climate change, to enhance resilience in various sectors.

The action plan to address sand and dust storms is approved, and it is being implemented in hotspots. The establishment of a forest firefighting center to increase national operational capacity is on the agenda.

To mitigate air pollution, the DOE supplied about 421 million liters of low-sulfur fuel oil to power plants and scrapped 530,000 worn-out cars.

Despite water scarcity, the national wetlands working groups were held regularly to manage water resources and ensure their water rights,” Ansari stated.

Following the outbreak of the imposed war, the DOE, as the responsible organization for the protection of the country’s environment, has conducted some field, technical, and multilateral inspections in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman to monitor marine environmental risks.

Referring to waste management, Ansari noted that the DOE’s main approach focuses on recycling, upcycling, and moving towards a circular economy; an approach that, in addition to protecting the environment, also helps develop environmentally friendly businesses and create green jobs.

According to Ansari, restoring the role of the DOE in implementing the principles of the Convention on Biological Diversity is one of the most important measures of the current administration, which contributes to integrating policies and implementing Iran’s commitments to biodiversity.

DOE updating national document on public participation

The DOE is updating and completing an existing national document on public participation in environmental protection.

The document involves perspectives, objectives, and governing principles, including transparency and accountability. Once completed, the document will benefit from public participation in all parts, from making decisions to implementing them in the environment sector, ISNA quoted Hadi Kiadaliri, the DOE’s deputy head for public participation, as saying.

To enhance public participation in environmental protection, the department found it essential to focus on training students at schools. So, DOE, in cooperation with the Education Ministry, has launched a project to train eco-friendly practices among students who will be environmental helpers later.  

According to Kiadaliri, a total of 26,000 students from all over the country have participated in the project so far. “If the students are successfully trained and equipped with the needed skills, they will be our best ambassadors in society. Training programs may be costly, but it is worth the price, as these students will train the generations to come,” the official added.

The official stated that a document on promoting the culture of preserving the environment among governmental bodies has already been developed and submitted to them, elaborating on their measures which will later be assessed by the DOE.

He went on to say that measurement of success does not rely on short-term achievements. Focusing on long-term environmental governance will lead to success since it involves change in life style.

MT/MG