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Click on a subject heading below to view questions and answers. Links throughout the answers will guide you to further information on our website or from other sources. Should you have any further questions, please consult our Contact Us page.
1. What is Biodiversity? Back to top
"Biological diversity" means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.
"Biological Resources" includes genetic resources, organisms or parts thereof, populations, or any other biotic component of ecosystems with actual or potential use or value for humanity.
2. Why is Biodiversity important? Back to top
Biological resources are the pillars upon which we build civilizations. The loss of biodiversity threatens our food supplies, opportunities for recreation and tourism, and sources of wood, medicines and energy. It also interferes with essential ecological functions.
Time after time we have rushed back to nature's cupboard for cures to illnesses or for infusions of tough genes from wild plants to save our crops from pest outbreaks. What's more, the vast array of interactions among the various components of biodiversity makes the planet habitable for all species, including humans. The health of our economy and human society depends on the continuous supply of various ecological services that would be extremely costly or impossible to replace. These natural services are so varied as to be almost infinite.
3. What is Convention on Biological Diversity? Back to top
In 1992, the largest-ever meeting of world leaders took place at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. An historic set of agreements was signed at the "Earth Summit", including two binding agreements, the Convention on Climate Change, which targets industrial and other emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, and the Convention on Biological Diversity, the first global agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. Over 150 governments signed the document at the Rio conference, and since then more than 187 countries have ratified the agreement.
Islamic Republic of Iran has been a member of the Convention on Biological Diversity since 27 May 1996 and Department of Environment acts as a focal point of the convention.
4. What are the goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity? Back to top
The Convention has three main goals:
ï‚· The conservation of biodiversity;
ï‚· Sustainable use of the components of biodiversity; and
ï‚· Sharing the benefits arising from the commercial and other utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way.
5. Why the Central Zagros region has been chosen as the project area? Back to top
The Central Zagros Mountains contain globally significant biodiversity. Extreme topographical relief and climatic conditions have led to great diversity in ecosystems and habitats over small geographical areas. In turn, this has created a home for a vast range of species including over 2,000 species of higher plants and several endangered and endemic mammal species. Notably, the mountains contain a large number of plant and animal species of commercial importance to man – no doubt one of the reasons why some of the earliest civilizations originated in this area. In recent decades, due to demographic changes, to changing economic and social systems, and the loss of traditional management and land-use practices, the biodiversity is declining and is now highly threatened.
6. How big is the project area? Back to top
The project covers Central Zagros Landscape with an area of 2,500,000 ha.
7. What are the project provinces? Back to top
The project covers almost all of Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari province, large parts of Kohkiluyeh & Boyerahmad province, and most of Eghlid and Marvdasht districts in Fars province and Semirom district in Isfahan Province.
8. What are the main outcomes of this project? Back to top
Outcome 1: A national institutional and policy framework that is fully supportive of mainstreaming biodiversity into sustainable development in the central Zagros Mountains;
Outcome 2: Sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity is integrated into economic and sectoral programmes and government practices at the Conservation Zone level;
Outcome 3: Successful, sustainable, financially replicable models of village designed and village driven approaches to increasing income generation and conserving biodiversity in biodiversity rich areas.
9. When was the project document of implementation phase approved? Back to top
The project document of implementation phase was approved on 28 June 2005 by Deputy Head of Natural Environment and Biodiversity of Department of Environment and Resident Representative of United Nations Development Program in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
10. When did the implementation phase start and how long is the project's duration? Back to top
The implementation phase started on 12 May 2007. The project's duration is for five years.
11. What are the project's stakeholders? Back to top
- Implementing agency: Department of Environment;
- Global Environment Facility (GEF);
- United Nations Development Plan (UNDP);
- Ministry of Agricultural Jihad;
- Ministry of Energy;
- Cultural Heritage, Handicraft and Tourism Organization;
- Provincial planning Councils;
- Local Communities;
- NGOs;
- Academia;
- Private Sector.
12. Who is the National Project Director? Back to top
Dr. Mohammadbaqer Sadooq, Natural Environment and Biodiversity Deputy - I.R.Iran Department of Environment, is the National Project Manger.
13. Who is the National Project Manager? Back to top
Ms. Shirin Abolghasemi is the National Project Manager.
14. What are the names of the project pilot villages? Back to top
In each of the four project provinces, two pilot villages are selected according to specific criteria: ( click here to view the criteria for selection of the pilot villages)
· Isfahan Province: Khafr – Sivar Villages
· Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari Province: Heidarabad – Gelesefid Villages
· Kohgiluyeh & Boyerahmad Province: Dehbaraftab – Dasheraz Villages
· Fars Province: Margun – Jiderzar Villages
15. Where are the project offices located? Back to top
In order to manage and coordinate the project activities, two offices have been established, one in Tehran and one inShahrekord in Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari province.
- Central Office:
Deputy Directorate for Natural Environment Biodiversity Department of Environment, Pardisan Eco-Park, Hakim Highway, Tehran. P.O.Box:14155-7383,Telefax:+98(21)88244583,www.cbcz.ir,
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- Zagros Project Office (ZPO):
Pirozi Av., Saman Gates, Shahre Kord, Chaharmahal & Bakhtiary, 88186-15161, Tel: +98(381)2251114, Telefax: +98(381)2227903,www.cbcz.ir,
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The Provincial Coordination Offices (PCOs) have been established in the four project participating provinces.
16. How much is the project budget? Back to top
The project budget is almost 10 million dollars. Iran and GEF/UNDP provide 60% and 40% of the budget respectively. |
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