Chamran University of Ahvaz in Khuzestan Province is organizing the First International Conference on Dust Storms.
The organizers of the conference, scheduled for March 2-4, 2016, hope to encourage discussion to brainstorm solutions to the crippling dust storms plaguing the Middle East, IRNA reported.
The university has called on experts from the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Khuzestan’s Governorate, Meteorological Organization, Ministry of Energy, Jundishapur Medical University and National Iranian South Oil Company to cooperate and curb the impacts of the debilitating phenomenon.
Latest reports indicate that 23 provinces in Iran suffer from the phenomenon, with Khuzestan and Sistan-Baluchestan bearing the brunt of dust storms.
While dust storms have numerous domestic sources, such as the dried up Hamoun and Hoor al-Azim wetlands, Saeed Hojjati, a soil expert at the university, believes most sources lie beyond Iran’s borders, especially in Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
“Therefore, experts from regional countries grappling with dust storms are invited to attend the conference,” he said.
Managing sources of dust storms and its socioeconomic impacts and curbing detrimental health effects of dust pollution are other topics on the conference’s agenda.
“The outcome of the conference will be compiled in the form of a document and made available to regional countries,” Hojjati said.
“The conference will feature a training workshop on advanced technologies in mulch production.”
