Germany welcomes environmental cooperation with Iran

TEHRAN, Nov. 02 (MNA) – German’s ambassador to Tehran stated his country’s willingness to cooperate with Iran in managing environmental issues. In a meeting with Michael Freiherr von Ungern-Sternberg, Masoumeh Ebtekar, deputy-president and head of Department of Environment, proposed that Germany would provide Iran with its technology and capabilities to manage its environmental issues. Ebtekar pointed to environmental cooperation between Iran and Germany, notably participation in international meetings of peace and sustainable development, and stability; “Iran welcomes sharing of experiences and bilateral cooperation,” said she, “the government has a positive view of the environment; however, we face with dire environmental crises, partially attributable to climatic changes, global warming and other harmful impacts,” Ebtekar added. “Climatic changes and temperatures exceeding global average has significantly decreased river and lake water bodies in Iran, and now the great challenge of water shortage looms larger,” she told German ambassador. “Environmental issues are global and small changes in a point have overreaching impact on the globe,” Ebtekar said, demanding more extensive cooperation in environmental issues. “Nowadays, researchers and environmental activists have developed a global understanding in close cooperation to face environmental challenges; this view should find advocates among the political elites of the world,” said the head of Department of Environment. Ebtekar invited German experts and environmental activists to participate in International Environmental Exhibition to be held in next winter in Tehran. She also highlighted some of pressing environmental issues of Iran, especially in Hirakani forests of northern Iran and Zagros autochthonous forests of oak trees, which she believed, were of crucial importance in terms of ecosystem. “Iran faces many problems in saving these forests, and Germany would be of great help on this,” Ebtekar said. Michael Freiherr von Ungern-Sternberg for his part expressed gratitude for the government’s measures under Mrs. Ebtekar’s initiatives to manage the environmental issues, and said that these measures would encourage Germany in cooperation with Iran. “Environmental activists in Germany are very keen on cooperating with Iran in saving Zagros and Hirakani forests and the biodiversity hosted by these forests,” said the German ambassador. “Germany welcomes cooperation in water issues, pollution and greenhouse gas control with Iran; Germany has great capacities in wind energy, renewable energies and would provide Iran with these services through UN initiatives and other international organizations,” he said.