The head of the Department of Environment, Masoumeh Ebtekar, and Matti Anttonen, director of the Department for External Economic Relations at the Finnish Foreign Ministry held talks on ways to boost bilateralenvironmental ties on Friday.
Ebtekar said the two countries have good potential to enhance cooperation, especially in the field of environment and climatology, IRNA reported.
Iran’s top environmental official had discussed the possibility of expanding environmental cooperation with President Sauli Niinisto in September, when she was in Finland to attend the Global Cleantech Summit.
Stressing the importance of climatology, Ebtekar said, “Education and modern technology are the most important instruments in addressing climate change, a serious global issue that Iran could play a big role in slowing down.
“Countries like Finland can help us with the science and technology needed to effectively curb emissions.”
She also referred to the upcoming Paris Climate Conference in December with the aim of keeping global warming below the 2-degree Celsius threshold.
With approximately 800 million tons of annual carbon dioxide emissions, Iran is the world’s eleventh-largest emitter of the gas and the only big emitter that has yet to submit a climate action plan to the United Nations.
In addition to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Ebtekar said Finland can assist Iran with its wetland-restoration programs.
Most of Iran’s important wetlands, including Hoor al-Azim in Khuzestan Province and the Hamouns in Sistan-Baluchestan Province, are on the verge of complete desiccation.
Ebtekar invited the Finish Minister of Agriculture and Environment Kimmo Tiilikainen as well as the countries’ environmental companies and organizations to attend the 15th International Environment Exhibition in Tehran (February 27-March 1, 2016).
“The expo will be a great opportunity for both sides to expand cooperation on environmental issues,” she said.
