(Iran's Environment News Agency) Iranian Civil Society and NGOs Active in the Field of Environment and Sustainable Development urged UN Secretary-General , Ban Ki-moon , To lift sanctions on certain environmental activities.

Declaration
Noting that, the people of Iran, not its government, are the real victims who suffer most from the sanctions that threaten their lives, their livelihoods, their health and their environment and that the impacts of deterioration of environment as a result of these sanctions go well beyond the country's borders and endanger the region and the whole world;
Stressing that,
-The sanctions have caused major financial problems for projects related to sustainable development and protection of natural resources and the environment;
-The sanctions on importing advanced technologies for refineries and various other industries and the sanctions in the sectors of transport and energy such as the restrictions on importing high quality fuel and spare parts, have contributed to the acute pollution of air, water and soil, and as a consequence, on the significant rise of several fatal diseases such as cancers, women's reproductive problems and malformation of children, as well as significant losses in natural resources and habitats with direct impacts on the livelihood of Iranians;
Believing that,
-With the continuation of the sanctions and the degradation of the health and economic conditions of Iranian nation, fundamental investments to protect the environment will go down on the agenda. The excessive pressure of the vulnerable and needy population on the country’s rare and precious natural resources will increase, even more;
We, Representatives of the Iranian Civil Society and NGOs Active in the Field of Sustainable Development, while expressing our serious concern about the impacts of the unjust sanctions against the Iranian nation and their adverse effects on the environment of the country and the region, assert the following immediate and incontestable demands:
A- The removal of all limitations and constraints in following areas:
- Transfer of financial assistance to Iranian NGOs and provision of funds for all projects related to health and the protection of environment and natural resources;
- Institutional, legislative and bureaucratic restraints for money transfer by banks and financial institutions to the mentioned projects and interventions;
- Transfer of technology and expertise needed for projects on environmental protection, reducing and improving the use of energy and natural resources, and improving sanitary and health conditions;
B- The creation of a committee in order to keep channels open for negotiations and cooperation in above-mentioned fields, regardless of the political situation and sanctions;
C- To make the best use of all capacities of international conventions and UN agencies in order to reduce the pressure caused by sanctions on the vulnerable population and environment of Iran.
We request the United Nations to annex this declaration to the international documents related to the sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and to encourage the international community to find solutions to minimize the serious threats and the desolation faced by the people and the environment of Iran as a result of the illegal sanctions.
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