The Impact of Environmental Crises in the Caspian Sea on Iran's National Interests

پژوهش ‎های جغرافیای سیاسی

Article 4, Volume 2, Issue 4 - Serial Number 7, March 2018, Pages 81-103   

Document Type: مقالات علمی -پژوهشی

DOI: 10.22067/pg.v2i7.69583

Authors

Kazem Ramezani¹; Ebrahim Roomina^{* 2}; Omran Alizadeh³; Rahim Sarwar⁴

¹, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran

²Tarbiat Modarres University

³Azad University, Rasht Branch

⁴Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch

Abstract

One of the Important issues in environmental geopolitics is the environmental challenges of water spaces. Among the water spaces, the Caspian Sea in northern Iran has become very important due to the geographical location and the existence of living resources and hydrocarbons. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of new coastal states on the margin of the Caspian Sea have led the Caspian Sea to be more affected by numerous pollutants through unbridled harvesting of its living resources and the existence of oil resources and transmission networks. These conditions have encountered a Caspian Sea with an ecological crisis.
In the last two centuries human activities have negative consequences on the environment and its resources. This has led to widespread reactions to environmental challenges. In areas like the Caspian Sea, where economic benefits are gained through natural and mineral resources, the process of environmental protection is of paramount importance. Therefore, many environmental factors target this area, each of which can be eroded in such a way that ultimately the possibility of exploiting the sea is discarded or costly.
This research is descriptive-analytic and according to the type and nature of the subject, the data and information required by the library and field method has been collected. And for data analysis, the SWOT model has been used.
The findings of the research have been extracted and developed in two parts of documentary-library and field in relation to the ecological challenges of the Caspian Sea. include:
- Pollution of Caspian oil and gas
- Pollution from maritime transport
- Pollution with industrial origin
- Urban sewage
- Pollution by agricultural origin
- Pollution from the origin of tourism and destroying landscapes\
- Excessive exploitation of sea resources
- Natural threats.
Due to field studies and library as well as the opinions of experts in this field as well as the nature of the exploration of the hypothesis corresponding to the second question regarding the formulation of appropriate strategies, the SWOT method has been used.
The results of this research show that the national interests of Iran are affected by economic actions and unconcerned perceptions of living and fossil resources, and the entry of various pollutants from the Peripheral countries Based on the findings of the analytical model used in this research, it is important to address the challenges opposite of adopting a conservative strategy at the national level and to form a regional, regional-based regional environment.

Keywords

Caspian Sea; National Interests; environmental crises

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