Iran’s Human Rights Council slams UK crackdown on climate protesters

The top Iranian government watchdog on human rights has issued a statement condemning Britain’s ongoing crackdown on people protesting against its environment policies.

Leader plants trees on national tree planting day

TEHRAN — Concurrent with National Tree Planting Day, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei planted two fruit tree saplings on Wednesday.

By Mina Izadi

Land subsidence threatening the capital

TEHRAN - Sinkholes and fissures opening up the earth are gradually encircling Iran's capital city, threatening local infrastructure and people's homes.

‘Environmental education must be acquired at earlier ages’

TEHRAN – Environmental education has been included in the country’s school curriculum to prepare students for natural resources and environment protection, while it needs to be more efficient and acquired at earlier ages to make favorable cognitive and behavioral changes in the students, Mehr news agency reported on Sunday.

Majlis to assess Department of Environment performance 

TEHRAN—The agriculture committee of Majlis (Iranian parliament) will assess performance of the Department of Environment (DOE) since 2013, Tasnim news agency reported on Monday. 

Plan to combat SDSs in Tehran submitted to DOE 

TEHRAN— The plan to combat sand and dust storms (SDSs) in the province of Tehran is submitted the Department of Environment (DOE), an official with the provincial department of environment has said. 

Women play major role in water, environmental planning

TEHRAN – Women play a great role in planning to address water and environmental problems, Molood Shiva, advisor to the energy minister for women’s and family affairs said here on Saturday.

By S. K. Basu and P. Zandi

Need for insect pollinator conservation to secure future of global agriculture forestry, apiculture industries, food security

Insect pollinators (honeybees, native bees, moths and butterflies, some species of beetles and flies) helping in the natural (biological cross pollination of crops around the globe are showing an alarming sign of population decline.

International Mountain Day: Mountains are vital for our lives

TEHRAN — Almost one billion people live in mountain areas, and over half the human population depends on mountains for water, food and clean energy. However, according to the United Nations, mountains are under threat from climate change, land degradation, over exploitation and natural disasters, with potentially far-reaching and devastating consequences, both for mountain communities and the rest of the world.

Green taxes not used for environmental development’

TEHRAN – While the Municipality of Tehran receives green taxes paid by pollutant industries, the money is not used for developing the environment or improving the industries, Ali Moridi, head of department of environment’s (DOE) soil and water office has said.

Siberian crane ‘Omid’ returns to Iran, brings hope 

TEHRAN — While there were growing speculations among environmental lovers as to whether the Siberian crane ‘Omid’ will wing his way back to Iran or not, the crane returned to spend the winter in Fereydunkenar, northern province of Mazandaran, once again 10 days ago. 

‘Only 15% of Tehran’s construction, demolition waste recycled’

TEHRAN – While some 50,000 tons of construction and demolition waste is produced in Tehran daily, only 10 to 15 percent of which are recycled and the rest is dumped or disposed, Mohammad Hossein Bazgir, head of Tehran’s department of environment (DOE) has said.

By Maryam Qarehgozlou

Meeting on regional co-op for building resilience to disasters opens in Tehran

TEHRAN — An Expert Consultation Meeting on Regional Cooperation for Building Resilience to Slow-Onset Disasters, Including Sand and Dust Storms and Information Management for Cross-Border Disaster in Asia and the Pacific opened in Tehran on Monday.

Department of Environment opposes water transfer from Persian Gulf

TEHRAN — With regard to the environmental conditions of the Persian Gulf, the Department of Environment (DOE) has taken a firm stand against water transfer from this body of water, deputy environment chief, Masoud Tajrishi, has said.

Datis Holding's environmental recall

TEHRAN- Modern human is involving with important issues of air pollution, melting of glaciers and global warming. Solving such a phenomenon requires attention of a large number of people and also economic activists.

Hour al-Azim wetland wildfire threatens bird migration

TEHRAN — Should the wildfire in Hour al-Azim wetland continues throughout autumn it would become a threat to bird migration in the area, head of Khuzestan province’s department of environment has said.

Cheetah cub wounded in car crash suffers irreversible spinal cord injury

TEHRAN — An Asiatic cheetah cub which had been wounded on August 7 in a car accident on Abbasabad-Mayami road, north-central Semnan province, has suffered irreversible spinal cord injury, IRNA reported on Tuesday.

MP proposes water, environment, natural resources ministry

TEHRAN — MP Abbas Papizadeh has proposed creation of a new ministry for water, environment, and natural resources aiming to supervise the current trend of environmental predicaments the country is facing.

Bioethanol an option to counter air pollution in big cities

TEHRAN – One of the measures to fight air pollution is producing and using bioethanol fuel instead of gasoline, the secretary of biotechnology committee affiliated to Presidential Directorate for Science and Technology has said.

Iran in pursuit of karst water resources

TEHRAN – Iranian authorities are going to study some regions across the country which have high potentials for having karst aquifers and determine the possibility of exploiting such groundwater resources.

Tehran, Sofia eye increased environmental co-op

TEHRAN – Iranian and Bulgarian officials held in meeting in Tehran on Tuesday, discussing ways to boost bilateral cooperation on environmental issues.

Female provincial environment chief appointed

TEHRAN – Head of the Department of Environment, Issa Kalantari, appointed Fariba Rezaee as the director general of the department of environment of the western province of Kordestan, IRNA reported on Saturday.

Rangers wounded in armed conflict with poachers

TEHRAN — Three rangers were wounded in an armed conflict with poachers in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, the provincial department of environment announced on Saturday.

Environmentalists question protected areas downgrading, downsizing

TEHRAN — A group of environmental activists affiliated with an NGO has made a statement questioning the directive from the Supreme Council of Environment on revision of national protected areas.

Water shortage “serious”, says environment chief

TEHRAN – The country is facing a serious water shortage, said Isa Kalantari, the chief of the Department of Environment.

Stop dam building and water transfer projects: environmentalists

TEHRAN – A group of environmentalists have issued a statement, urging all dam building and water transfer projects around Zayanderud, Karun and Dez rivers to be halted in a bid to deal with the severe drought conditions that have affected western part of the country.