Carbon emissions in Iran rose drastically between 1990 and 2012, increasing from 283 million tons to 730 million tons.
Isa Kalantari, head of the Department of Environment, revealed the disturbing figure at a panel on "Renewables Development Challenges" in Tehran on Tuesday, IRNA reported.
Based on DOE statistics, natural gas is the leading contributor to the carbon emissions followed by oil, gas flaring and cement production.
"Adopting measures to promote renewable energy can play a key role in reducing the carbon emissions," he said, expressing regret that the current economic policies have been unable to attract local and foreign investment to expand the renewable energy industry.
The senior official and a former agriculture minister complained that the private sector does not get the help it deserves and lacks the financial clout to play an effective role in renewable energy.
The DOE has made a strong commitment to bring the level of gas flaring in oil and gas fields to zero by 2019, he told the panelists.
Referring to Tehran’s pledge in the Paris Agreement to cut Co2 emissions by 4% by 2030, he said the existing energy and environmental policies, most of which do not create enough space for renewables to thrive, will not culminate in reducing the carbon emissions. He reiterated the need for major policy reforms and the promotion of renewable energy in national development policies and projects.
Representatives of 195 countries negotiated a historic agreement in 2015 to curb global emissions of greenhouse gases and limit the planet’s warming to under 2°C, preferably 1.5°C, by 2100.
The agreement was signed by senior officials of 180 countries in a ceremony in Paris.
It is indeed regrettable that despite 300 sunny days in a year, well above the likes of the UK with 150 days of sunlight per year on average and with far less intensity in radiation, Iran’s installed renewable power capacity is still a meager 650 megawatts, Kalantari said.
"Iran accounts for 1.30% of global emissions, which is high compared to other countries because, despite the rising emissions in the past few years, the economy has failed to grow," he rued.
In other developing countries increase in greenhouse emissions is a sign of a economic growth. However, the same cannot be said about Iran where emissions have increased and the economy has stagnated – a clear indication of waste and indifference towards using natural resources in a prudent and logical manner.
