On Tuesday, June 12th, 2024, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, a conference in commemoration of World Environment Day was held. This event was organized by the Research Institute for Health and Environmental Sciences at the Faculty of Health and Safety of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. The venue for this gathering was the Shahid Khourakiyan Hall, located in the Faculty of Health and Safety.

The conference featured distinguished speakers, including Dr. Mohseni Bandpai, the esteemed Dean of the Research Institute for Health and Environmental Sciences; Dr. Nobakht, the esteemed President of the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization; Dr. Mehrdadi, the esteemed Dean of the Faculty of Environment at the University of Tehran; Dr. Farokhi, esteemed Head of the HSE Department at the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences Dr. Heshmati, the esteemed Deputy of Human Environment at the Department of Environment of Iran; and Dr. Zargarpoor, the esteemed former Deputy Minister of Water Affairs at the Ministry of Energy. Each speaker delivered insightful remarks on pertinent environmental issues.

The conference commenced with an address by Dr. Mohseni Bandpei, the esteemed Dean of the School of Health and Environmental Sciences. Focusing on the theme of World Environment Day, he provided insights into the historical background of the occasion and elaborated on this year's theme: "Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience."

Dr. Bandpei then delved into the important issue of environmental crises, particularly climate change. He discussed the history of these changes, the impact of climate change on the environment, and presented statistical data on Iran's situation regarding water scarcity and land subsidence.

Dr. Nobakht, the esteemed President of the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization, began his speech on the "People's Initiative to Plant One Billion Trees." According to him, this project aims to engage school students, with the help of the Ministry of Education, to plant three saplings each, ultimately leading to the planting of sixty million saplings in schools. Additionally, the project has successfully involved housewives in some provinces, transforming homes into mini forests.

Dr. Mehrdadi, the esteemed Dean of the Faculty of Environment at the University of Tehran, was the next speaker at the conference. He discussed the impacts of climate change on water and wastewater treatment. In his speech, he addressed climate change and its effects on torrential rainfall, as well as the influence of these floods on water and wastewater treatment systems. He also highlighted factors that increase vulnerability to flooding.

Dr. Farokhi, the esteemed Head of the HSE Group at the University of Rehabilitation and Social Health, delivered a speech on environmental inequalities, their solutions, and challenges. He pointed out that environmental risks do not affect all members of society equally; instead, people living in underprivileged areas are more vulnerable and may already be in a more critical condition due to underlying health issues.

Subsequently, Dr. Zargarpoor, the esteemed former Deputy Minister of Water Affairs at the Ministry of Energy, spoke about the environmental and resource challenges. At the beginning of his speech, he reviewed some decisions made by the General Council of the Department of Environment during different periods. He then discussed Iran's ranking in international environmental indices, which has dropped from 53rd place in 2006 to 133rd place in 2022, providing explanations for this decline.

In conclusion, Dr. Heshmati, the esteemed Deputy of Human Environment at the Department of Environment, summarizes the points discussed. He spoke about Article 50 of the Constitution and the numerous environmental laws that exist in Iran. He also addressed sustainable development and its principles, as well as new technologies currently in use or being implemented, such as 180 air pollution monitoring stations. Additionally, he discussed recent measures regarding waste management and national working groups.

The conference concluded with a question and answer session for the students.