Can International Cooperation Revitalize Wetlands on Afghanistan-Iran Border?

Sep 15, 2016 | Fatemeh Aman
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Efforts to revive the Hamoun wetlands on the Iran-Afghanistan border are intensifying. A recent panel at the Atlantic Council described international involvement as vital both to help resolve this environmental challenge and to raise awareness about the devastating impact of climate change on the region.

The Hamoun Lakes are transboundary wetlands that consist of three lakes: Hamoun-e Helmand entirely in Iran, Hamoun-e Sabari on the border, and Hamoun-e Puzak, almost entirely inside Afghanistan. Fed by the Helmand (Hirmand) River, the wetlands once supported great plant and animal diversity in the Sistan Basin. However, as a result of drought and poor water management on both sites, the lakes have nearly disappeared.