In the heart of Iran’s development policies lies a pressing need for green management, a concept that has gained global traction since the 1992 Earth Summit. A recent study published in the journal “Studies in Green Development Management” (مطالعات مدیریت توسعه سبز) sheds light on the current state and challenges of green management in Iran, offering insights that could shape future developments in the energy sector and beyond.
The research, led by Yousef Jafari Herafteh, an M.A. in Executive Management from Azad University in Shahrud, Iran, delves into the country’s high-level development documents, including the 20-Year Vision Document, Five-Year Development Plans, and General Policies of the System. The study aims to bridge a critical gap in the literature: the absence of a comprehensive, coordinated roadmap for green management at the national policy level.
“While Iran’s development policies conceptually embrace green management, their practical integration remains partial, fragmented, and often symbolic,” Herafteh states. The study reveals that the Five-Year Development Plans exhibit the highest frequency of references to green management principles, followed by the General Policies of the System. However, the 20-Year Vision Document focuses more on overarching goals and lacks specific implementation strategies.
The research identifies nine primary components of green management, including energy optimization, water resource management, pollution control, renewable energy promotion, natural resource protection, green infrastructure, technological innovation, environmental education, and waste management. These components are further broken down into forty sub-components, highlighting the complexity and breadth of the issue.
One of the key findings is the uneven attention to green management in Iran’s policy documents. For instance, while energy efficiency and pollution reduction are frequently mentioned, environmental education and cultural strategies are notably underrepresented. This imbalance could have significant commercial impacts, particularly in the energy sector.
“Despite policy emphasis on reducing energy intensity and promoting clean technologies, the execution has been hindered by weak monitoring systems and insufficient investment in clean infrastructure,” Herafteh explains. This gap presents an opportunity for private sector involvement, particularly in public-private partnerships aimed at fostering eco-innovation and clean technology development.
The study also highlights the need for legal reform, public investment, and integrated planning to overcome the barriers hindering green management implementation. By establishing enforceable legal frameworks, allocating budgetary support for green infrastructure projects, and promoting inter-sectoral collaboration, Iran could transition from rhetorical commitment to operational execution of green management.
The implications of this research extend beyond Iran, offering valuable insights for other nations grappling with similar environmental challenges. As the world increasingly turns to sustainable development strategies, the lessons learned from Iran’s experience could shape future developments in green management, particularly in the energy sector.
In conclusion, Herafteh’s study serves as a wake-up call for policymakers, industry leaders, and environmental advocates. It underscores the urgent need for a coordinated, comprehensive approach to green management that balances environmental responsibility with economic growth. By addressing the identified gaps and challenges, Iran and other nations can pave the way for a more sustainable future.