Analysis of the Impact of Climate Change on Iran's Geopolitical Power (Mediator Variable of Sustainable Development)

Document Type : مقالات علمی -پژوهشی

Authors

• Mohammad Akhbari ¹
• Mohamad Basiri Sadr ²

¹ Associate Professor in Political Geography, Islamic Azad University of Tehran, Central branch, Tehran, Iran

² PhD Candidate in Political Geography, Islamic Azad University of Tehran, branch of Science and Research, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/pg.v4i3.80993

Abstract

Currently greatest environmental threats are global warming and climate change. Climate change will lead to shortages of water and food, disease, unemployment, migration, poverty, tensions on resources and global instability. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of climate change in Iran and its impact on sustainable development and geopolitics. This research is a descriptive analytic study and used survey method. The questionnaire was designed based on the indicators of the effects of climate change, sustainable development, and geopolitics and was distributed among experts in meteorological, environmental and passive defense organizations. Sixty questionnaires were received. Measuring the reliability and validity using Software (pls) and proper patterning, the research hypothesis was proved. Findings showed taht there is a significant and reverse relation between the effects of climate change and sustainable development. Also, the reduction of sustainable development has a negative and significant effect on the geopolitical power of the Iran. Moreover, the reduction of sustainable development has a mediating role in the impact of climate change on geopolitics. In this study, Friedman's comparative test, prioritization of influential parameters of climate change in geopolitics was discussed. Amongst the factors, poverty and social anomalies, drought and immigration have the most negative impact on the country's geopolitics. The suggestions emphasized the necessity of implementing effective methods, watershed management and optimal exploitation of water resources, increasing productivity through new irrigation practices, changes in crop operations and cultivars, replacing crops that require less water and soil tillage, using clean energies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to be consistent with the effects of climate change.

Keywords

• Climate Change
• Global warming
• Sustainable development
• Geopolitics
• Greenhouse Gases

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