28 Mar 2024
Monday 11 September 2017 - 10:10
Story Code : 275284

Thirsty for solutions: Iranian lake could dry up, leaving 14 Mln without water



Sputnik - If Iran is unable to keep Lake Urmia from drying out by 2030, at least 14 million lives will be in danger, according to Amir Abbas Jafari, head of the Organization for the Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters in Iran's Western Azerbaijan province.




Addressing the situation affecting Iran's salty Lake Urmia, which has rapidly shrunk inthe pastfew years, Mohammad Darvish ofIran's Environmental Protection Agency told Sputnik that the main reason forit is the local population's increasing dependence onthe lake's water and adjacent land.
"To stop Lake Urmia fromshrinking, it is necessary toremove the gardens and return the 300,000-hectare area tothe lake inthe next ten years. Iran alongwith its neighbors Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and Iraq should create a free economic zone inthis region. After people benefit fromit, the [Iranian] government will urge people todeal withcattle breeding rather thangrowing beets, something that will help revive the lake," Darvish said.


He was echoed byMasoud Bagherzadeh Karimi, a member ofthe working group onthe restoration ofLake Urmia, who underscored the importance ofother countries giving a helping hand.
"The environment is a global. If the lake dries out, there will be sand and dust storms which may reach the province ofGolestan and the city ofGorgan, which is why we welcome our immediate neighbors' help. Already, we cooperate withJapan, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and Turkey.We would appreciate all the assistance inline withinternational laws and regulations," Karimi said.


The work torestore the lake's water level was slated towrap upby 2023, butthe deadline will almost sure be extended due topoor financing. In particular, the promised funds fromLeonardo DiCaprio and Japanese environmentalists are yet tobe obtained.

Located innorthwestern Iran not far fromthe Turkish border, Lake Urmia is believed tobe one ofthe largest salt reservoirs onthe planet. In the last twenty years, the lake has shrunk by60 percent due toclimate change and damming ofthe rivers flowing intothe lake.

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