National Clean Air Day observed

National Clean Air Day observed

TEHRAN – A ceremony was held today to observe the National Clean Air Day with the presence of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi, and the head of the Department of Environment, Shina Ansari.

National Clean Air Week is being held from January 18 to 22, with the theme of ‘National determination for clean air with renewable energy’.

Addressing the event, Ansari said, “We will not deny the air pollution problem. However, it should be noted that air pollution has not evolved overnight to be tackled immediately and easily. It demands logical decisions along with national determination to be dealt with.”

Within the past five months, a national working group for reducing air pollution has been active focusing on the most polluted cities such as Arak, Isfahan, Mashhad, and Ahvaz. In cooperation with the Ministry of Oil, improving fuel quality has been put on the agenda, IRNA quoted Ansari as saying.

President Pezeshkian also addressed the ceremony. Highlighting the theme of the week, he said fundamental changes will be brought about by minimizing fossil fuel consumption and replacing them with renewables such as solar energy.

In August 2024, Ansari stressed that adopting proper policies and monitoring their implementation is the main responsibility of the Department of Environment to deal with air pollution.

“Decommissioning of worn-out cars, improving the quality of fuels, and vehicles, developing public transportation, providing resources, and reducing industrial emissions are among the key factors to deal with air pollution,” Ansari highlighted.

The Clean Air Law, enacted in July 2017, was supposed to be a solution to ease air pollution across the country. Still, the air is severely polluted, as the responsible bodies neglect their legal duties to implement the law.

Environmental regulations, enforcement of strict laws, and the development of renewable energy are essential to curb air pollution.

Raising public awareness of the harmful effects of pollution and training the ways to deal with it, improving waste management systems, sewage, and water treatment, and improving public health via the development of health services in deprived areas are some other effective measures to address air pollution.

MT/MG

source: tehrantimes.com