Speaking Wednesday, at the opening of the 22nd International Environmental Exhibition, Aref highlighted Iran’s pressing environmental issues, including air pollution, soil erosion, water contamination, the destruction of underground aquifers, over one million illegal wells, waste management, climate change, and fuel consumption optimization.

“In many crises, such as dust storms, we have surrendered to the situation. The state of soil erosion is even more alarming than air pollution, with impacts that will become evident over centuries,” Aref said.

He went on to say that the failure to make progress in recent decades stems from prescribing solutions for others without addressing our own shortcomings.

Addressing fuel consumption, Aref remarked, “Iran’s energy consumption intensity is incomparable with any other country worldwide. Whenever we attempted to implement effective measures to tackle environmental problems, good efforts were hindered by populism.”

He pointed out Iran’s rank of 102 in air quality and the severe water crisis. “For electricity and gas, we can appeal to the public to make adjustments, but addressing the serious water imbalance as the future’s looming crisis requires substantial action. While the average daily water consumption in water-rich European Union countries is around 150 liters per person, in Iran, it’s 250 liters. However, in a recent meeting with representatives from one province, it was reported that daily consumption there is 160 liters per person. This achievement should serve as a model for other cities.”

Aref stressed that environmental issues are not exclusive to the present. “The environment is partly our right, and we must fulfill our obligation to protect it. However, safeguarding the environment is also the right of future generations.”

 “So far, no mechanism for the regeneration of environmental resources has been established as a unified approach. Specialized exhibitions like this one can play a key role in addressing these challenges,” he noted.