Tehran, Iran, June 17
By Mehdi Sepahvand –- Trend:
A memorandum of understanding was signed between Iran and the United Nations for the third phase of the international program carbon sequestration in four Iranian provinces.
The MoU signed by Iran’s Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is expected to cover five regions in Yazd, North Khorasan, South Khorasan and Golestan Provinces, IRNA news agency reported June 17.
Carbon sequestration is a natural or artificial process by which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and held in solid or liquid form, as in plants or soil.
The carbon sequestration project in Iran started from a village in North Khorasan Province, and currently is being implemented in some 300 other villages, influencing the life of 120,000 inhabitants, UN’s resident coordinator in Iran Gary Lewis said.
It is not a mere soil restoration plan, rather it can lead to a full development by engaging local communities through rural community development, he added.
The international carbon precipitation is not only aimed at fighting desertification, but the plan will lead to saving energy, soil erosion prevention, economic development, and boosting employment in Iran, Lewis further said.
The project’s benefit in just one of Golestan Province villages after being piloted was about nearly $1.8 million, which is a significant figure, he added.