The Department of Environment (DOE) hosted the 25th national conference dedicated to industry, mining, and green industry, which took place in Tehran on Saturday.
Speaking at the conference, DOE head Shina Ansari noted that humanity faces serious environmental problems. These include climate change, global warming, water scarcity, deforestation and ecosystem destruction, as well as the accumulation of industrial and plastic waste, which poses a critical threat to human survival on Earth, according to IRNA.
Ansari emphasized that while industrial development has been the driving force of global growth over the last century, uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources has led to massive waste generation, habitat destruction, reduced biodiversity, and disruption of the planet's ecological balance. These negative consequences indicate that the era of industrial growth at any cost has ended.
Referring to a recent report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Ansari stated that environmental issues such as biodiversity loss, pollutants, and land degradation are not limited to the field of environmental policy. Their impact and consequences also affect economic, investment, management, infrastructure, and innovation policies.
The global circular economy has transformed from an environmental problem into a model of industrial and economic significance. Ansari added that key elements of this direction include design for durability, reuse and recycling, as well as the application of digital technologies and supply chain transparency.
She also noted that companies and industries that can quickly integrate this transition into their production processes, investment strategies, and service provision will be able to occupy a unique position in the carbon and circular economies, and ensure future sustainability.
The official stressed that compliance with environmental laws, norms, and standards is not just a legal requirement but a scientific, economic, and ethical imperative inextricably linked to food security, economic sustainability, and public health. In Ansari's view, environmental protection should no longer be seen as an expense but as a matter of economic viability.
Speaking about new concepts in industry and ecology, including green industry, green production, green services, green products, and ultimately green governance, Ansari explained that the green approach covers all stages of production—from design and manufacturing to disposal, covering the entire end-to-end cycle—and is not limited only to pollution control at the final stage.
The official representative pointed out that the main obstacles to implementing the green approach in the country are structural and cultural factors. Low energy and water costs reduce incentives for investing in green productivity sectors and modern technologies.
In addition to deterrent measures, such as an environmental levy requiring polluting enterprises to pay one percent of revenue to municipalities, stimulating measures are also necessary to encourage industries to adopt a green course.
