Largest capital in Middle East will have to be relocated due to water shortages and overcrowding, the president said.
This was stated by Iranian leader Masoud Pezeshkian. Tehran no longer environmentally friendly stableand 9,700,000 residents will have to move.
“People said it wasn’t possible, but now it’s no longer mandatory,” Pezeshkian said. “We cannot continue to increase population and construction here. Expansion is possible, but the water problem cannot be solved.”
Warnings about the city's water use have been ignored for years, and drought has left water resources even more depleted.
Pezeshkian said it was possible to ship water from the Persian Gulf, but it would be expensive and time-consuming.
But is it even possible to move the capital? Tehran will not be the first city to move due to climate changebut the problems he faces can be difficult.
Many communities have to move
Dr Bayes Ahmed, Associate Professor in Risk and Disaster Science at UCL, said Metro that Tehran is not alone in facing these problems.
He points to communities in India, Southeast Asia, Bangladesh, Africa and other countries.
“Many local communities are experiencing frequent displacement due to the climate crisis. By climate crisis we mean both natural and man-made factors.”
Dr. Ahmed notes agreement between Tuvalu and Australiaallowing citizens to migrate to Australia before the country is swallowed up by the sea.
“We need to study what is happening in other countries and learn from them, because some move, some adapt, some don’t—they stay and face problems,” he explained.
Where could Tehran move?
The Iranian government named the region Makran in the southeast of the country. Iran as a potential new capital, but this has not been confirmed.
This territory could solve the problem of overpopulation, energy and water problems. Makran is located near the Gulf of Oman.
But this is not an ideal solution – an underdeveloped area is subject to some security risks and will cost billions of dollars.
What other cities have been relocated due to climate change?
Indonesia's capital Jakarta, home to 10,500,000 people, has announced plans to move after falling underground. became the first city to move due to climate disaster.
Situated on a swampy area, it is the fastest sinking city in the world, with the Java Sea lapping against it. climate change takes its toll.
The plan to move the capital to Nusantara, a new city located almost 900 miles north of the current capital, will be implemented by 2045.
Dr Ahmed explained: “Why do people move from Jakarta? The number one reason is overpopulation. Jakarta is home to 42 million people, the largest population in the world for any single city.
“And the city is sinking 25 centimeters every year due to uncontrolled groundwater extraction and rising sea levels.”
But it's expensive – that is. government will invest about $32 billion in a new capital in the jungles of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo.
It is hoped that the capital will not be moved again, since construction is focused on environmental friendliness, renewable energy sources and minimal carbon dioxide emissions. A similar step could be taken in Tehran.
Is there an alternative to moving Tehran?
It doesn't look like it. Tehran's Amir Kabir Dam was at just 8% capacity last week, and the city is reducing water pressure.
There are fears that the taps could dry up completely if the city doesn't get rain soon, but even then the damage has already been done.
Over-reliance on groundwater has also led to the collapse of groundwater levels. Depleting reservoirs are also to blame.
Dr Ahmed adds: “Climate change is not a local problem, but a global phenomenon. You can't think about how to solve the climate crisis from one single perspective.
“We need to think about why governments are backing down. We signed the Paris Agreement in 2015, but it is failing. We are failing to meet our emissions targets.”
Contact our news team by emailing us at [email protected].
To see more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: The world faces 'catastrophe after disaster' if climate talks fail
MORE: People evacuated after Indonesian volcano erupts and spews 54,000ft ash cloud
MORE: Trump discusses bombing Iran before complaining about the lack of sauce at McDonald's
