Regionalization of Environmental regulation for Northern Region of Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Department of Law, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran

10.22124/cjes.2024.8078

Abstract

The northern region of Iran comprises three provinces facing environmental and socioeconomic challenges due to their special and unique ecological and geological characteristics, such as special wetlands, forests, flora, and fauna. A unique environmental regulation system is required for particular traits of the ecosystems of this region, their unique functions and susceptibilities, and interconnections with socioeconomic affairs. It is supposed that one of the leading environmental problems of these susceptible provinces is the need for adapted environmental regulations harmonized with their regional special circumstances. Despite its necessity, few environmental regulations have been passed concerning the special ecological circumstances of this region. However, there still needs to be a framework and integrated regulatory system to protect the environment of this region entirely and be compatible with socioeconomic considerations. This study diagnoses the current environmental regulation regime of the northern region of Iran and its challenges based on legal descriptive and analytical methods; then, it examines how to choose a regional environmental regulation system to harmonize this regulatory system with this region's exceptional ecological and socioeconomic circumstances.  The findings showed that besides the absence of an adaptive environmental regulation, the region lacks a legally enforced comprehensive sustainable development strategy to link the environmental and socioeconomic considerations. The article suggests an adaptive regional environmental regulation mechanism empowered with special regulations, local multilevel environmental governance, environmental decentralization, and establishing a regional environmental council to appropriately coordinate the related organizations to protect the northern natural environment.

Keywords

References

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Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences

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Available Online from 17 October 2024

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