Parviz Garshasbi stressed Iran’s seven-year efforts at the National Water Commission of UNESCO in order to establish an international center for integrated management of watersheds and biological resources in arid and semi-arid areas of the country adding “the centers are under the scientific and technical auspices of UNESCO and 45 of them are investigating water-related issues in different parts of the world.”
“The advantage of the Iranian center would be that it will enjoy international coverage as well as providing a comprehensive analysis of issues related to water,” he added.
The official emphasized that the center needs to be constructed at the beginning of the year 2016; “it will be located in Tehran and will have a Board of Directors in addition to a chairman.”
Garshasbi said the Board will be attended by ministers of energy and agriculture organization, head of environment organization; “six regional centers will join the Board from other countries including two Asian, two African, one European and one American center,” he explained.
He further enumerated the future activities of the international center for integrated management of watersheds and biological resources; “the center shares the latest scientific and technical developments in integrated management of watersheds around the world among the members of UNESCO’s National Commission and runs relevant courses on a regular basis.”
“Outstanding issues arising from comprehensive management of catchments include climate change, groundwater subsidence and relation between human and water and soil,” underlined Garshasbi adding “the main objective of the center is to establish a scientific and cultural communication with the world on relevant issues rather than being limited to the country.”
Stressing that the creation of the center will definitely help to solve existing problems in the area of watershed management, he asserted “accordingly, we will offer two or three projects that have been developed over 15 years.”
Garshasbi stated that UNESCO’s assessment experts have examined Iran’s potential for the opening of the center over the past 5 years and they have approved of its creation due to Iran’s extensive experience in the mentioned projects.
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