INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
officially by representatives from the Department of Environment (DOE), the Embassy of Japan, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific
include developing flood hazard maps, establishing early warning systems, assessing and managing agricultural drought risk, and empowering
local communities, particularly women and youth, to effectively prepare them to respond to disasters and crises, DOE website reported.The
project also aims to develop scientific and technical infrastructure in crisis management with the prospect of becoming a regional model for
combating climate change effects.Referring to the challenges of climate change, Shina Ansari, head of DOE, highlighted the significance of
public participation, indigenous knowledge, and modern technologies in disaster risk reduction.The head of the UNESCO Tehran Office, Ieng
Srong, for his part, lauded environmental cooperation between the two organizations and underscored the importance of prioritizing science
and raising awareness in the fight against climate change.Climate change impactsBy affecting rainfall patterns, pollination, flowering, and
even harvest time, climate change has greatly affected the agriculture sector and food security in many countries, most significantly in
parts of the country the air temperature has increased by 2 degrees while the highest temperature set in the world amounts to 1.5 degrees,
IRNA quoted Mohammad-Hossein Emadi as saying.Studies have shown that for a degree increase in temperature on the planet, the amount of
evaporation rises by 23 percent which negatively affects agriculture and animal husbandry sectors.Climate change also alters plant growth
patterns, disturbing the nutritional values of crops, he stressed.In addition, unexpected effects of climate change like drought, flood, and
management organization said reinforcing cooperation among the ECO member states in prediction, prevention, preparation, response,
challenges, the most important of which include climate change, water scarcity (particularly fresh and safe water), lack of green spaces,
and desertification, IRNA quoted Mohammad-Hassan Nami as saying.Regarding the availability of valuable technologies in crisis management,
Nami proposed the appropriate use of intelligent systems for correct data analysis to be put on the agenda to further advance the goals of
the countries.The official noted that access to authentic and reliable information related to risks is the basis for making quick, accurate,
effective, and timely decisions in handling emergency situations and reducing financial and life losses
of the ECO member countries to act in the form of coherent information systems and intelligent systems to timely analyze and evaluate data,
This article first appeared/also appeared in Tehran Times
