BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.16
Trend:
Iranian government's priority is to find effective solutions for environmental issues, said Iran's First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, Trend reports via IRNA.
"Development and economic issues are important but obtaining sustainable development requires that we protect the country's environment," said Jahangiri.
"The country's officials and people should consider necessity to solve environmental issues and use all capacities to prevent endangering human lives," he said.
"The international treaty of Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, was signed fifty years ago and now 171 countries joined the treaty," he reminded.
Jahangiri also said that wetlands in Iran 'have been damaged and destroyed despite the convention treaties'.
"Transforming agriculture lands for housing construction without permits, land speculation on sea sides and mountain side and air pollution are the issues of most concern," he said, adding that these issues require international help.
"Iran's wetlands are facing serious dangers due to lack of attention for sustainable development policy, increase of water consumption and climate change," he said.
"The government has assigned more than $370 million during the past three years to fight dusts and revive wetlands," he said.
"One of first steps of the government was to revive the Urmia Lake, along with removing obstacles on river flow to the lake, balancing agriculture water consumption, installing water treatment plants," he said.