Science and technology are the main factors in achieving sustainable development, eradication of poverty and establishing peace and security. Issues related to Sciences and Sustainable Development, resolving social water-related crises by means of sustainable management, with special emphasis on preserving the balance between water, land, population and understanding the mutual link between biological and cultural diversity, focusing on mobilising the participation of and awareness-raising for the different sectors of the society on the rational and respectful use of the nature and biosphere reserves, as well as climate change and associated matters have a special place in the activities of the Natural Sciences Department of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO.
A second phase of the activities of the Natural Sciences Department of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO focuses on seeking practical solutions to putting Geosciences at the service of the society and capacity-building for national scientific institutions to improve predictions of natural disasters and prevent them by timely information dissemination, aimed at reducing human casualties.
As a whole, the current activities of the Natural Sciences Department of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO are based on the strategic objectives 4 and 5 of the Medium-term Strategy (2014-2021) and their related Main Lines of Actions:
Strategic Objective 4: Strengthening science, technology and innovation systems and policies – nationally, regionally and globally.
Main Line of Action 1: Strengthening STI policies, governance and the science-policy-society interface.
Main Line of Action 2: Building institutional capacities in science and Engineering.
Strategic Objective 5: Promoting international scientific cooperation on critical challenges to sustainable development.
Main Line of Action 3: Promoting knowledge and capacity for protecting and sustainably managing the oceans and coasts.
Main Line of Action 4: Fostering international science collaboration for earth systems, biodiversity, and disaster risk reduction.
Main Line of Action 5: Strengthening freshwater security.
