View source for Environmental issues in Iran

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[[File:Iranian Fire altar.jpg|thumb|right|80% of [[air pollution]] in [[Tehran]] is due to cars; the remaining 20% is due to factories and industry emissions.]]
[[Iran]] is one of the world's largest and most densely populated countries, spanning an [[List of countries and dependencies by area|area]] of approximately 1.7 million sq. km and a [[Demographics of Iran|population]] of 91.5 million. Since 1966 Iran has experienced immense  [[population growth]], initially being recorded at 25,781,090 people, and totaling to 75,330,000 in 2010. The various [[Climate|climates]], increased population growth, heavy reliance on [[Fossil fuel|fossil fuels]], and refusal to commit to sustainability goals has extenuated Iran's vulnerability to [[ecological crisis]] and [[climate change]].

'''Environmental issues in Iran''' include, especially in [[Urban area|urban]] areas, [[vehicle]] emissions, [[Oil refinery|refinery]] operations, and industrial effluents which contribute to poor [[air quality]]. A report by the [[United Nations Environment Programme]] ranked Iran at 117th place among 133 countries in terms of environmental indexes.<ref>[http://iran-daily.com/1385/2798/html/ Iran Daily – Front Page – 03/06/07<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Iran Environment in Grave Danger|url=http://www.payvand.com/news/09/oct/1280.html|website=payvand.com|access-date=2009-10-28|archive-date=2020-01-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115042603/http://www.payvand.com/news/09/oct/1280.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Water scarcity in Iran|Water scarcity]] is also a concern since the increased temperatures and fluctuating precipitation levels associated with global warming can result in droughts or flooding that will further degrade the water availability. 

== Air pollution ==
{{Further|Air pollution in Iran}}[[File:Mercedes bus and Samand.jpg|right|thumb|Car vs [[public transport]] in [[Tehran]]]]The [[World Bank]] estimates losses inflicted on [[Economy of Iran|Iran's economy]] as a result of deaths caused by air pollution at $640 million, which is equal to 5.1 trillion rials or 0.57 percent of [[GDP]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Iran Daily – Front Page – 03/06/07|url=http://www.nitc.co.ir/iran-daily/1385/2798/html/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071115065256/http://www.nitc.co.ir/iran-daily/1385/2798/html/index.htm|archive-date=2007-11-15|access-date=2015-11-22}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=November 2020|reason=}} Diseases resulting from [[air pollution]] are inflicting losses estimated at $260 million per year or 2.1 trillion rials or 0.23 percent of the GDP on Iran's economy. 

Most cars use [[leaded gasoline]] and lack emissions control equipment.<ref>[http://iran-daily.com/1386/2880/html/economy.htm Iran Daily – Domestic Economy – 07/01/07<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506083012/http://iran-daily.com/1386/2880/html/economy.htm|date=2008-05-06}}</ref> [[Tehran#Pollution|Tehran]] is rated as one of the world's most polluted cities. However, buses and cars running on natural gas are planned to replace the existing public [[transportation]] fleet in the future. Also, energy prices are kept artificially low in [[Iran]] through heavy [[Ministry of Petroleum of Iran#Gasoline subsidies|state subsidies]], resulting in highly inefficient and polluting consumption patterns.<ref>{{cite web|date=28 September 2007|title=Atieh Bahar|url=http://www.atiehbahar.com/Resources/Environment.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928000332/http://www.atiehbahar.com/Resources/Environment.htm|archive-date=2007-09-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Iran Daily – Domestic Economy – 01/11/09|url=http://www.iran-daily.com/1387/3313/html/economy.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318162410/http://www.iran-daily.com/1387/3313/html/economy.htm|archive-date=2009-03-18|access-date=2016-02-19}}</ref> [[Traffic management]], [[vehicle inspection]], general use of [[electric bicycle]]s and [[Internet in Iran|electronic government]] are also part of the solution.<ref>{{cite web|title=YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx3j6U9Z9Ok|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607193719/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx3j6U9Z9Ok|archive-date=2010-06-07|via=YouTube}}</ref>

A rising incidence of [[Respiratory disease|respiratory]] [[illnesses]] prompted the city governments of [[Tehran]] and [[Arak, Iran|Arak]], southwest of the capital, to institute air [[pollution]] control programs. These programs aim to reduce gradually the amount of harmful [[chemicals]] released into the [[atmosphere]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.payvand.com/news/09/apr/1027.html|title=Iran Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q2|website=payvand.com|access-date=2009-07-04|archive-date=2011-11-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111129222751/http://www.payvand.com/news/09/apr/1027.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Climate change ==
{{Main|Climate change in Iran}}

Iran is party to the [[Kyoto Protocol]] on [[climate change]] but not its [[Doha Amendment]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=United Nations Treaty Collection|url=https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=XXVII-7-c&chapter=27&clang=_en|access-date=2020-11-10|publisher=United Nations}}</ref> It has signed but not ratified the [[Paris Agreement]] on climate change.<ref>{{Cite web|title=United Nations Treaty Collection|url=https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVII-7-d&chapter=27&clang=_en|access-date=2020-11-10|publisher=United Nations}}</ref>

== Ecosystems ==
Much of [[Iran]]'s territory suffers from [[overgrazing]], [[desertification]] and or [[deforestation]]. 

Wetlands and bodies of fresh water increasingly are being destroyed as industry and [[Agriculture of Iran|agriculture]] expand, and [[Petroleum industry in Iran|oil]] and chemical spills have harmed aquatic life in the [[Persian Gulf]] and the [[Caspian Sea]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Iran – Country Brief|url=http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/MENAEXT/IRANEXTN/0,,menuPK:312966~pagePK:141132~piPK:141107~theSitePK:312943,00.html|website=web.worldbank.org}}</ref> Iran contends that the international rush to develop oil and gas reserves in the Caspian Sea presents that region with a new set of environmental threats.<ref>{{cite web|title=Iran environment in grave danger|url=http://www.payvand.com/news/10/apr/1289.html|website=payvand.com|access-date=2010-05-05|archive-date=2020-01-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115013610/http://www.payvand.com/news/10/apr/1289.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Although a [[Department of Environment, Iran|Department of Environment]] has existed since 1971, Iran has not yet developed a policy of [[sustainable development]] because short-term economic goals have taken precedence.<ref>{{cite web|title=Green Party of Iran – News|url=http://www.iran-e-sabz.org/news/iranenv.html|website=iran-e-sabz.org}}</ref>

Signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, [[United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea|Law of the Sea]], Marine Life Conservation.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|title=Archived copy|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iran/|access-date=2012-12-04}}</ref>

== Deforestation ==
Iran had a 2018 [[Forest Landscape Integrity Index]] mean score of 7.67/10, ranking it 34th globally out of 172 countries.<ref name="FLII-Supplementary">{{cite journal|last1=Grantham|first1=H. S.|last2=Duncan|first2=A.|last3=Evans|first3=T. D.|last4=Jones|first4=K. R.|last5=Beyer|first5=H. L.|last6=Schuster|first6=R.|last7=Walston|first7=J.|last8=Ray|first8=J. C.|last9=Robinson|first9=J. G. |last10=Callow |first10=M.|last11=Clements|first11=T.|last12=Costa|first12=H. M.|last13=DeGemmis|first13=A.|last14=Elsen|first14=P. R.|last15=Ervin|first15=J.|year=2020|title=Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity – Supplementary Material|journal=Nature Communications|volume=11|issue=1|page=5978|doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3|issn=2041-1723|pmc=7723057|pmid=33293507|last16=Franco|first16=P.|last17=Goldman|first17=E.|last18=Goetz|first18=S.|last19=Hansen|first19=A. |last20=Hofsvang |first20=E.|last21=Jantz|first21=P.|last22=Jupiter|first22=S.|last23=Kang|first23=A.|last24=Langhammer|first24=P.|last25=Laurance|first25=W. F.|last26=Lieberman|first26=S.|last27=Linkie|first27=M.|last28=Malhi|first28=Y.|last29=Maxwell|first29=S. |last30=Mendez |first30=M.|last31=Mittermeier|first31=R.|last32=Murray|first32=N. J.|last33=Possingham|first33=H.|last34=Radachowsky|first34=J.|last35=Saatchi|first35=S.|last36=Samper|first36=C.|last37=Silverman|first37=J.|last38=Shapiro|first38=A.|last39=Strassburg|first39=B. |last40=Stevens |first40=T.|last41=Stokes|first41=E.|last42=Taylor|first42=R.|last43=Tear|first43=T.|last44=Tizard|first44=R.|last45=Venter|first45=O.|last46=Visconti|first46=P.|last47=Wang|first47=S.|last48=Watson|first48=J. E. M.}}</ref>

== Natural disasters ==
{{Further|List of earthquakes in Iran}}
Iran experiences periodic [[Drought|droughts]], floods, [[dust storm]]s, sandstorms and earthquakes along western border and in the northeast.<ref name="auto" />

== Soil erosion ==
Iran ranked worst in the world for [[soil erosion]] in 2011,<ref>{{cite web|title=Iran ranked worst in the world for soil erosion: expert|url=http://www.payvand.com/news/12/apr/1160.html|website=payvand.com|access-date=2012-04-25|archive-date=2020-01-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113020933/http://www.payvand.com/news/12/apr/1160.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> with reports from 2017 indicating that the erosion rate in the country is 2.5 times the world average.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-11-11|title=Soil erosion in Iran 2.5 times the world average|url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/418381/Soil-erosion-in-Iran-2-5-times-the-world-average|access-date=2024-04-28|website=Tehran Times}}</ref>

== Waste ==
An estimated 50,000 tons of trash is produced in the country every day of which something between 70 and 80 percent is disposed of hygienically but the rest is not.<ref>{{cite web|title=Every Iranian produces 700 grams of garbage per day|url=http://www.payvand.com/news/12/apr/1238.html|website=payvand.com|access-date=2012-04-24|archive-date=2020-01-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113015547/http://www.payvand.com/news/12/apr/1238.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Iran produces over 8 million tons of [[hazardous waste]] annually (2016).<ref>{{cite web|date=23 October 2016|title=Hazardous Waste Production Alarming|url=https://financialtribune.com/articles/people/52093/hazardous-waste-production-alarming}}</ref>

== Water ==
{{Main|Water supply and sanitation in Iran}}

Industrial and [[urban runoff|urban wastewater runoff]] has contaminated rivers, coastal and underground waters.<ref name="www-wds.worldbank.org">[http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2005/05/09/000090341_20050509132811/Rendered/PDF/31984.pdf World Bank: Northern Cities Water Supply and Sanitation Project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305174628/http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2005/05/09/000090341_20050509132811/Rendered/PDF/31984.pdf |date=2009-03-05 }}, p. 29-30</ref>

=== Water scarcity ===
{{Excerpt|Water scarcity in Iran|only=paragraph}}

==See also==
{{portal|Iran|Environment}}
*[[Automotive industry in Iran]]
*[[Clean Air Law of Iran]]
*[[Department of Environment (Iran)]]
*[[Economy of Iran]]
*[[Energy in Iran]]
*[[Environmental issues in Tehran]]
*[[Geography of Iran]]
*[[International rankings of Iran]]
*[[Iranian Economic Reform Plan]]
*[[Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization]]
*[[Wildlife of Iran]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070619050935/http://www.irandoe.org/ Department of Environment – Islamic Republic of Iran]
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928000332/http://www.atiehbahar.com/Resources/Environment.htm |date=September 28, 2007 |title=Environment in Iran – Brief Sector Study }} (2003)
*[https://archive.today/20120803091645/http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/Iran/Profile.html US Dept. of Energy] – Environment Overview for Iran
*[http://www.parstimes.com/environment/ Iran: Environment and Nature]

{{Protected Areas of Iran}}
{{Iran topics}}
{{Asia in topic|Environmental issues in}}
{{Country study}}

[[Category:Environmental issues in Iran| ]]
[[Category:Climate change in Iran]]