INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TEHRAN - The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will facilitate the process of providing World Area Forecast Center (WAFC)
information to Iran.Mohammad Abubakr Farea, the head of the ICAO office in the Middle East, made the announcement in a meeting with Sahar
Tajbakhsh, the head of Iran's Meteorological Organization, IRIB reported.He considered meteorological services as one of the pillars of
broadcasts are supervised by ICAO which is necessary for flights
The role of the WAFCs is to provide meteorological messages with worldwide coverage for pilot briefing.The "WAFC" system includes sequential
forecasting of some atmospheric parameters in different layers of the atmosphere such as wind, temperature, and weather hazards, which
improves aviation safety.The information in this system is effective for aviation purposes, especially flights crossing the country, which
are provided to airlines.According to a report by WHO, Iran is amongst the most vulnerable countries to climate change due to its
geographic, economic, and climatic characteristics
For instance, a large area of the country is susceptible to floods, while changing trends in precipitation have also led to droughts and
forest fires.Climate change increases the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events including drought and floods
Rising sea levels can lead to storm surges, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion of groundwater aquifers, and ecosystem disruption
These events can lead to population displacement and affect water and sanitation infrastructure and services, contaminating water with fecal
coli, salmonella) from runoff or sewer overflow
Increasing temperatures and precipitation can also lead to water contaminated with Vibrio bacteria or algae blooms.Water resources are
expected to be less reliable in the future in Iran, with an observed 50 percent decrease in surface runoff (and consequential reductions in
water availability) and flood occurrence potentially increasing by around 52 percent.Climate change will worsen such trends; by 2030, there
is a projected further 25 percent decrease in surface water runoff in Iran.Ambient air pollution can have direct and sometimes severe
Fine particles, which penetrate deep into the respiratory tract, subsequently increase mortality from respiratory infections, lung cancer,
and cardiovascular disease.Sand and dust storms have severe impacts on human health, by increasing particulate matter and carrying harmful
substances and pathogens, all of which contribute to air pollution and associated respiratory problems.Furthermore, sand and dust storms
increase desertification, drought, and soil salinity, as well as decrease water resources
affected.There has been an observed increase in the frequency and severity of sand and dust storms globally
This is expected to worsen with climate change and be further exacerbated by drought, land degradation, and unsustainable land and water
