Iran is one of the world's largest and most densely populated countries, spanning anarea of approximately 1.7 million sq. km and apopulation of 91.5 million. Since 1966 Iran has experienced immensepopulation growth, initially being recorded at 25,781,090 people, and totaling to 75,330,000 in 2010. The variousclimates, increased population growth, heavy reliance onfossil fuels, and refusal to commit to sustainability goals has extenuated Iran's vulnerability toecological crisis andclimate change.
Environmental issues in Iran include, especially inurban areas,vehicle emissions,refinery operations, and industrial effluents which contribute to poorair quality. A report by theUnited Nations Environment Programme ranked Iran at 117th place among 133 countries in terms of environmental indexes.[1][2]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.
TheWorld Bank estimates losses inflicted onIran'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 ofGDP.[3][needs update] Diseases resulting fromair 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 useleaded gasoline and lack emissions control equipment.[4]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 publictransportation fleet in the future. Also, energy prices are kept artificially low inIran through heavystate subsidies, resulting in highly inefficient and polluting consumption patterns.[5][6]Traffic management,vehicle inspection, general use ofelectric bicycles andelectronic government are also part of the solution.[7]
A rising incidence ofrespiratoryillnesses prompted the city governments ofTehran andArak, southwest of the capital, to institute airpollution control programs. These programs aim to reduce gradually the amount of harmfulchemicals released into theatmosphere.[8]
Iran is party to theKyoto Protocol onclimate change but not itsDoha Amendment.[9] It has signed but not ratified theParis Agreement on climate change.[10]
Much ofIran's territory suffers fromovergrazing,desertification and ordeforestation.
Wetlands and bodies of fresh water increasingly are being destroyed as industry andagriculture expand, andoil and chemical spills have harmed aquatic life in thePersian Gulf and theCaspian Sea.[11] 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.[12] Although aDepartment of Environment has existed since 1971, Iran has not yet developed a policy ofsustainable development because short-term economic goals have taken precedence.[13]
Signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification,Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation.[14]
Iran had a 2018Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 7.67/10, ranking it 34th globally out of 172 countries.[15]
Iran experiences periodicdroughts, floods,dust storms, sandstorms and earthquakes along western border and in the northeast.[14]
Iran ranked worst in the world forsoil erosion in 2011,[16] with reports from 2017 indicating that the erosion rate in the country is 2.5 times the world average.[17]
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.[18] Iran produces over 8 million tons ofhazardous waste annually (2016).[19]
Industrial andurban wastewater runoff has contaminated rivers, coastal and underground waters.[20]
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. Country Studies.Federal Research Division.
