جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « sea » در نشریات گروه « محیط زیست »

Development planning system of Iran is faced with many problems and obstacles. Five-year development plans and land use planning lack necessary integration and hierarchy. In these circumstances, little attention is given to environmental protection before defining projects and during the hierarchical configuration of decision-making (policies, plans and programs). In the hierarchical decision-making, environmental planning should be regarded independently but unified with the whole development planning system. The aim of this study is to introduce Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process, definitions, history, objectives, hierarchy, types, application and dimensions as an effective tool for sustainable development in Iran and finally to clarify its position in the development planning system of the country. The methodology is based on theoretical description of foundations and reviewing relevant texts. According to review of literature, SEA process is an effective tool for improving decision-making system strategically, responding to weakness of environmental impact assessment towards achieving a sustainable development. This process is used in two main fields of development (sectoral and spatial). Therefore, using the SEA process will result in the integration and improvement of five-year development plans and land use planning in environmental section. It is concluded that using SEA process in development planning system of Iran can be effective in strengthening and ensuring continuity of hierarchical decision-making, determining gaps of planning system, increasing transparency, integrating and supporting the strategic planning process and avoiding repeats and sectoral attitude.

Average per-capita renewable water of Iran is decreasing strongly. In near future water wars in the Middle East are predictable. Exploitation of land resource has the most significant impact on wetlands. Wetlands degradation is the serious warning to unsustainable development. Despite that the Lake Urmia is recorded in conservation lists as Iranian national parks, Ramsar sites and UNESCO biosphere reserves, over the past decade, change detection in this land indicates the regression of water level. Geology studies such as sediment, pale limnology and hydro geochemistry have shown the role of climate in drying of Urmia Lake with serious uncertainty. Testimonies indicate that Urmia Lake during the Holocene wasn’t dry except in shoreline. Unsustainable future for environmental and socio-economic dimensions of this land is predictable. Thus, investigation about the ways of utilization water resources in basic needs (especially water and soil) in Urmia watershed seems necessary. In macroscopic and coarse scales, sustainable development policy making needs Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) approach. Integrated management plan for watershed of Lake Urmia is single plan in Urmia basin scale. This plan doesn’t have necessary strategies for resource management and has a lot of ambiguities and faults. Moreover, resource management of this land didn’t have requisite strategies. This study will identify causal chains of land degradation with driving force-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) model. Then, policies are collected in order to protect natural resources, the area, and the profits of local residual and future generations with SEA approach. SEA studies have just begun in Iran, so this study has much educational and investigative value. Urmia Lake is located at the end of closed endorheic basin of Urmia in North West Iranian plateau. This basin has nine watersheds. Two watersheds are situated on ecological zone. This study is based on description and systematic analysis by using quantitative and qualitative data in SEA framework and policy making category. Screening and scoping stages are noted to understand state of environment and completion of socio-economic baseline studies. Screening stage is noted to initial environmental evaluation by using DPSIR model. This model defines the association between environmental processes and environmental impact with human activities. In scoping stage, important scales, variable ecological components, and variable social components have been distinguished. Type of these variable components is descriptive indicator. Then, preconditions of participation have been mentioned. In this stage, long-term strategic goals (responding to driving forces in basin scale) with vision outlining (1415) and middle-term strategic goals (responding to pressure in watershed scale and responding to state of ecological zone) with vision outlining (1405) has been determined in order to specify sustainable development planning in this land. In evaluation stage, priority of watersheds has been determined for related policies according to variable components. Appropriate strategies for decision making and monitoring process have been proposed. Finally, optimum mixture of policies has been suggested for sustainable development of this land. Discussion of The role of human activities in degradation of this land (Urmia basin) is indisputable. Land degradation driving forces are as follows: 1. The rapid growth of urban population, 2. Lack of appropriate planning to meet population needs, 3. Major and nonproductive employment in agricultural sector, 4. Low literacy and old age in farmers with lands reformation and consequently patches fragmentation and decreasing production efficiency, 5. focus on water supply approach and dam making in water resource management, 6. Government incumbency and facilitating in distribution of agricultural inputs, particularly watersector such as hidden subsidies of government for water supply by lack of proper water pricing, 7. lack of participation of agricultural land use integrated management due to participation preconditions in Iran (government reliance on oil revenue), thus decision making for using land resource is merely government-owned. The most important pressure of human activity is also as follows: 1. Construction of road through the middle of the lake and consequently water flow disorder. 2. Irregular dam making and consequently silent rivers. 3. Land cover changes and land use conversions. 4. Changes in cultivation pattern and consequently consuming more water. 5. Serious irrigation deficiency. 6. Drilling numerous wells and exploitation of underground water beyond the limit of the water tables. 7. Non principal faulty salt exploitation and consequently dust aggravation. These pressures lead to dominant positive feedbacks, climatic disturbances and weather quality decadence, quality and quantity of water resource and decreasing and degradation of natural habitats. Finally, this land degradation will lead to increase in unemployment, immigration, social insecurity and protestation and diseases. This study by using SEA in Urmia watershed, has compiled sustainable development policies. The main advantage of this study is incorporation of the results of SEA and DPSIR. Completion of the method used and the result can be a guide for upstream document compilation for sustainable development planning and programming in this study area. Also this is a proper model for compilation of upstream documents of management in other ecosystems and wetland areas. Final outcomes of this study are optimum integration of strategies and policies for responding to state, pressures and drivers.

One of the main concern of today human society is the equilibrium between the effect of two categories that are healthy of marine environment and shore and off-shore wide activity, subjected to sustainable development, although ignoring this issue may have short time economic profits and advantage, but this result in long term irreparable losses. however these questions what the purpose of a healthy marine environment is, and what components have should be answered.Marine industries cause to bad effect include some important issues such as noise effects, climate changes, flood risk, air pollution, quality and physical and chemical features of water. In this study we try to introduce those acts that are applied to control marine activities in developed countries. Finally by contrast of these activities and concept of health environment, the controling and monitoring strategy will be suggested.

Marine and coastal protected areas have an important role in conservation programs of any country. Although most have been established relatively recently when compared with protected areas on land, there is considerable expertise on their identification, setting up and management. Therefore, some techniques have been adapted from that use on land.The selection of sites for conservation management is only one of many elements in the building of a network of protected areas. Frequently the first areas to be selected for protection are often so obvious that there is no need to put forward the criteria except in selecting an appropriate management category. However, the identification and selection of other candidate areas requires the setting up of criteria.In this study for each site under consideration, the different criteria (23 criteria) were quantified or scored (e.g. on a scale of 0 to 5 for lowest to highest value). The scores summed for each site and compared, and priority areas identified based on the highest scores. We assessed these criteria according to regular protected areas in southern part of Caspian Sea in Iran. Results indicate Miankaleh Wild Life Refuge is most important site in Southern part of Caspian Sea. Furthermore, Gorgan Bay and Gomishan wetland in southeast part of Caspian Sea would score highly on a combined list of ecological, social and economic criteria. Thereby Boojagh Marine-coastal Park in Sefid-rood river mouth (middle of southern part of Caspian Sea) and Lavandevil Wild Life Refuge (southwest part of Caspian Sea) have the lowest score and need more management efforts.