TEHRAN – Iran has participated in a regional training workshop on biodiversity monitoring and national reporting for West Asian countries in Manama, Bahrain.

The Supreme Council for Environment (SCE), in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, with support from the Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Environment Program, held the workshop from December 21 to 23.

Esmael Karami-Dehkordi, the secretary of the council of the Convention on Biological Diversity, represented the country.

The workshop brought together representatives of regional countries, government entities, academic institutions, and environmental experts.

The event supported countries in updating and preparing their national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAP), as well as the Seventh National Report, in line with the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Addressing the event, Karami-Dehkordi, who is also a faculty member of Tarbiat Modares University, highlighted the importance of addressing key challenges in financing, and accessing global financial resources, exchanging knowledge and innovations among countries, particularly those in West Asia, ISNA reported.

The official went on to propose establishing a West Asia Regional Fund to support joint biodiversity projects, enhancing capacity building, promoting partnerships and collaborations, and considering indigenous knowledge of local communities, especially rural and nomadic communities.

Participatory and integrated planning with the participation of various stakeholders, including governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, local communities, as well as women and youth, was among other proposals put forward by the country, which were well-received by the participants.

Resolving political challenges and regional conflicts, developing joint databases for shared ecosystems and species, and conducting and supporting collaborative projects through bilateral and multilateral agreements were also emphasized.

Strategic goals for long-term biodiversity preservation

The Department of Environment (DOE) has revised a comprehensive plan, setting its strategic goals for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity by the Iranian calendar year 1430 (March 2051-March 2052).

In May, President Masoud Pezeshkian issued an order, obligating the DOE to prepare a comprehensive plan for the preservation of biodiversity in the country, covering different environmental sectors.

In this line, several meetings have been convened with the participation of faculty members, environmental experts, and managers, as well as NGOs, IRNA reported.

During the meetings, the participants agreed on five main goals: promoting the integrity and resilience of biodiversity, conserving biodiversity for sustainable use, equitably sharing the benefits derived from genetic resources, raising public awareness, enhancing specialized knowledge, and modern technologies for effective biodiversity management, strengthening financial resources and national mechanisms for the implementation of the comprehensive strategic plan for biodiversity.

Finally, the national biodiversity conservation program will be revised based on the national biodiversity strategies and action plan (NBSAP3) by relevant executive agencies, academic experts, and non-governmental organizations, to be approved by the DOE.

Iran is a rich country in terms of biodiversity, with about 37,500 animal species and more than 8,000 plant species. In addition, it is home to 579 bird species, 214 mammal species, 284 reptile species, 23 amphibian species, 309 freshwater fish species, and 763 marine fish species in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Caspian Sea.

According to the latest report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), some 154 species of Iranian vertebrates are critically endangered of extinction.

The Asiatic cheetah and the ostrich, whose numbers in nature have dropped to less than 25, are among the critically endangered species. Moreover, there are 5 species of Caspian sturgeon, unique in the world, that are disappearing from the Caspian waters.

According to experts, species extinction is a natural phenomenon, but the speed at which they are disappearing is concerning. Unfortunately, the current rate of extinction has accelerated in the present era due to human activities; it will have serious consequences for ecosystems and the well-being of the planet.

Referring to the country’s biodiversity, Hamid Zohrabi, an official with the DOE, stated, “Sadly, the unsustainable exploitation of biological resources has affected and disrupted ecosystems in several areas.”

The official made the remarks on the occasion of World Biodiversity Day, celebrated annually on May 22.

The DOE is in charge of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The convention’s three main objectives include conserving biodiversity, promoting sustainable use of natural resources, and equal sharing of biodiversity benefits, he said.

MT/MG