TEHRAN – Since the beginning of the current Iranian year, March 2025, the Department of Environment has taken different steps to promote public participation in environmental protection.

Encouraging eco-friendly students, teaching environmental awareness courses in universities, developing a plan titled “skilled ranger soldier”, and preparing guidelines for environmental protection are among the most important measures.

This year, the DOE has mainly focused on enhancing formal and informal environmental education, developing public participation, utilizing the potential of new technologies, and promoting the culture of environmental protection, IRNA quoted Hadi Kiadaliri, an official with the DOE, as saying.

In the education sector, the DOE has designed a ‘national environmental curriculum’, and the first scientific-educational event based on a book titled ‘Humans and the Environment’ was held for teachers and eleventh-grade students at the national level. During the event, the provincial and national winners were honored, he stated.

A national plan for environmental helpers is being implemented as of the beginning of the current academic year (September 23, 2025). About 20 percent of the elementary students are health ambassadors. Some 25 percent of them will join the national plan over five years. Currently, there are 11,000 environmental helpers at schools across the country. The plan has also empowered 7,258 elementary school principals and 6,051 elementary school health care providers so far, Kiadaliri noted.

Another initiative of the DOE is to offer environmental courses in all universities in the country. It was previously implemented on a pilot basis in 10 selected universities. In addition, the Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) major for the MA degree has been revised.

The DOE has developed two other plans. The first, titled ‘skilled ranger soldier’, aims to employ students in environmental protection stations, and the second one intends to train and empower local communities with the participation of environmental protection students, the official added.

To reduce energy, plastic, water consumption, and waste, a guideline has been developed and shared with all the organizations affiliated with the DOE  in September, to be implemented. Also, a memorandum of understanding for green management of exhibitions has been signed with the international exhibition Companies, Kiadaliri further noted.

Moreover, the DOE and the Law Enforcement Force of Iran are cooperating to develop environmental fines for vehicles that pollute the environment. 

Organizing various cultural and artistic festivals focused on the environment in different provinces of the country, developing kid podcasts about the environment, movies, and short environmental films, and local songs that reflect environmental themes are among the measures taken by the department in the education sector. 

In an effort to strengthen the participation of local communities in conserving nature, the DOE has approved seven natural areas to be protected by the public.

The initiative showcases national determination to conserve the country’s environment, and also opens a new prospect for people’s contribution, and the development of participatory governance in protecting the country’s biodiversity, IRIB quoted Shina Ansari, head of the DOE, as saying in January.

In the near future, conservation in Iran will be based on participation, science, and accountability.

Biodiversity at all three levels, including genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity, enhances ecosystem resilience.

Biodiversity ensures food security, livelihood, and human health; it enhances ecosystem stability to adapt to bio-based challenges and climate change. Loss of biodiversity, at any level, will bring about a chain of irreparable consequences. Therefore, protecting biodiversity is not a choice, but a strategic necessity, Ansari noted.

A decade of community-based conservation practices has proved that the participation of local and responsible investors will lead to the restoration of wildlife populations and habitats, and that involving communities in conservation programs will also reduce human-wildlife conflict and lower violations.

Moreover, the link between employment and conservation creates a sustainable cycle, as community-conserved areas act as an economic driver.

Developing sustainable employment for local communities, generating income from legal and eco-friendly efforts, including responsible nature tourism, providing conservation services, and directly returning benefits to the conservation process will enable people to become the prominent and most effective conservationists.

In these seven community conserved areas, the land ownership will be maintained, and the government will actively oversee the measures.

MT/MG