What Caused Iran's Water Bankruptcy: Climate Change, Sanctions, or Bad Management?

Drying rivers, vanishing lakes, shrinking wetlands, declining groundwater levels, land subsidence, sinkholes, desertification, soil erosion, dust storms, water pollution, biodiversity loss, deforestation and wildfires are among some of the very familiar signs of Iran’s water bankruptcy. With water bankruptcy comes the migration and displacement of people, conflicts, and social and political instability throughout the country. In this seminar, Kaveh Madani will discuss the role of development policies, politics and mismanagement in Iran’s water bankruptcy challenges, exacerbated by droughts, climate change, sanctions, and regional tensions.

KAVEH MADANI is an environmental scientist, educator, and activist with expertise in environmental security and analyzing complex human-nature systems. He has previously served as the Deputy Head of Iran’s Department of Environment, Vice President of the UN Environment Assembly Bureau, and Chief of Iran’s Department of Environment’s International Affairs and Conventions Center.