Environment and Interdisciplinary Development

Abstract Introduction: Nowadays, environmental protection and conservation have become a critical issue worldwide. This has led to significant managerial and leadership challenges in the current state of the educational fabric of schools. Many principals and teachers argue that talking about ecological educational and training activities and observing the environmental conditions of schools is still the missing link in the educational system, which is impossible without valid reflections and criticisms of the school environment. Thus, schools need environmental leadership to address these challenges, which has attracted the special attention of leadership researchers. This research aims to present an ecological leadership model in elementary schools with an interpretive phenomenological approach.
Materials and Methods: The research method is qualitative regarding its objectives and interpretive phenomenology in data collection. The research environment consists of school principals and teachers who have a history of green schools. They were selected using a targeted snowball sampling method to reach 23 participants until theoretical saturation was achieved. The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview developed based on the understanding and experiences of teachers and school principals in different regions of Ardabil province. The interview protocol was evaluated for validity and reliability using Cohen's Kappa coefficient, which yielded a value of 0.71, indicating a relatively high level of agreement between coders.
Results: The study uncovered that environmental leadership is delineated by 98 concepts across 17 axes, organized into three main themes. Drawing from insights of managers and teachers, it embodies six core attributes: fostering group cohesion, envisioning ideals, acting on beliefs, showing individual consideration, and providing inspirational motivation. These characteristics of environmental leadership are nurtured through value philosophy, goals and objectives, overarching policies, educational and training frameworks, psychological underpinnings, and sociological contexts. Nonetheless, advancing environmental leadership encounters significant challenges, necessitating a nuanced grasp of supportive environments from academic and training policymakers.     
Discussion: Given the urgent need for environmental leadership in elementary schools, achieving sustainable environmental practices in the future depends on training school administrators and engaging both internal and external stakeholders. This research addresses the challenges and issues fronted by these agendas, aligning with recent Ministry of Education initiatives (since 2018) aimed at implementing environmental programs in schools. The findings of this research have innovatively defined environmental leadership within educational management, identified and analyzed environmental challenges specific to elementary schools, and proposed solutions. These insights pave the way for a new leadership model capable of navigating school ecological complexities and addressing local community environmental concerns in future crises.

Abstract Introduction: With the shortage of freshwater resources, the use of other available sources such as seas and oceans has increased, and new technologies in the field of desalination and treatment of saline waters have gained attention. The territorial waters of the Oman Sea and the Persian Gulf have created strong potential for the establishment of desalination plants for various uses in Iran. The sustainable development of desalination units requires adherence to environmental standards to prevent the increase of pollutants in the effluent. The Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM) Method is a way to organize, analyze, and present the results of a comprehensive environmental assessment. The present study aimed to identify the positive and negative effects resulting from the operation of the Chabahar desalination plant during the operational phase on four environmental components (biological-ecological, physical-chemical, economic-operational, and social-cultural).
Materials and Methods: After identifying the various phases of the project through library studies and gathering information from different sources, the components and elements of the environment in the affected area were examined and identified, categorized into four physical-chemical, biological-ecological, social-cultural, and economic-operational environments. Then, the effects of the Chabahar desalination plant's activities were assessed using RIAM during the operational phase. To this end, after identifying the various phases of this industrial unit, four components were identified and examined. The use of these four categories can serve as a suitable tool for environmental impact assessment studies, as it seems that each category can have subcategories for identifying environmental components, allowing for a more detailed and better analysis of the project's effects on different sectors. After the environmental components affected by the available options have been scored, the final score obtained indicates the environmental status of the project's activities.
Results: The results showed that the most destructive consequences, with a score of -108, were related to the physical-chemical environment, while the most positive effects, with a score of +84, were in the social-cultural environment. In the physical-chemical environment section, this project has significant negative impacts on the region's environment. Given the project's proximity to the Sea of Oman and coral islands that host unique species and valuable ecosystem services, it is necessary to evaluate strategies to eliminate the negative effects resulting from changes in water quality and to minimize them. In the biological-ecological section, the most significant negative effects are on the fauna. The Chabahar desalination plant, in its operational phase, has 11 positive effects and 9 negative effects. Considering that this complex is a significant source of drinking water for the region and has meaningful positive impacts in the economic and social sectors, the continuation of its activities is permissible as long as environmental protection measures are observed.   
Discussion: It is necessary to reduce the intensity of their effects by implementing corrective actions and monitoring environmental parameters at the wastewater disposal site, as well as continuously measuring the output pollutants in the surrounding environment and comparing them with national and international standards. The positive effects, due to being categorized as having very little change or positive effect, little change or positive effect, and change or positive effect, indicate the preference for carrying out the project over not doing it.

Abstract Introduction: The coastal landscapes are constantly changing due to the increasing demand for structures aimed at economic, residential, and tourism activities. Human-made constructions such as breakwaters, piers, and seawalls have become characteristic features alongside shallow habitats in intertidal and subtidal zones. This transformation accelerates in response to exponential population growth and climate change impacts, such as rising sea levels and the need to mitigate natural disasters like storm surges. Concerns about the ecological value of these created environments have sparked efforts to establish new habitats to enhance biodiversity. Therefore, this study aimed to compare biodiversity patterns between artificial and natural substrates, as well as to investigate the role of slope and tidal height characteristics in determining biodiversity patterns.
Materials and Methods: Sampling was conducted in four natural habitats (rocky shores of Naz Island, Mosen, Naqashah, and Ramchah) and four artificial habitats (rocky substrates of Naz Island breakwaters, fish processing waste, Selakh, and Ramchah) along the southern shores of Qeshm Island, seasonally from summer 2016 to spring 2017. During this study, 960 photographs were taken of epibiotic communities from two types of substrates across eight stations and three tidal levels over four sampling periods.
Results: After analyzing the photographs and identifying the collected samples, 105 species were identified, of which 65 species were found in natural substrates and 42 species in artificial substrates. Natural substrates exhibited a higher abundance (percentage cover) of epibiotic communities compared to artificial ones. Most taxonomic groups identified had higher percentage cover in natural substrates, except for three groups: hydroids, bryozoans, and sponge-like organisms, which were more abundant in artificial substrates. A similar trend was observed in the number of species, with the stations of Mosen, Ramchah, and Naqashah hosting the highest species counts. The results indicated greater species diversity in natural substrates (14.99) compared to artificial ones (9.98). PERMANOVA tests revealed significant differences in the structure of epibiotic communities between natural and artificial hard substrates, as well as across different tidal levels on the southern shores of Qeshm Island (p < 0.05).
Discussion: A nearly regular increasing trend in species count was observed with rising tidal height, with lower intertidal areas hosting higher species richness compared to the other two tidal levels. No echinoderm individuals were found on the flat surfaces of artificial habitats, likely due to the steep slope and lack of microhabitats, which prevented these communities from establishing. In examining the cleaner species in both natural and artificial habitats, it was found that the distribution and growth of the algae Padina sp. on artificial substrates had significantly decreased compared to natural ones. This macroalga was one of the key species influencing the population structure differences between the two habitats. The steep slopes and high wave energy in artificial substrates likely hindered the successful spread of this species. In contrast, the macroalga Centroceras clavulatum successfully adapted to artificial structures and established significant coverage on these substrates, making it one of the key species influencing the differences in population structure between the two habitats, following Padina sp. This study demonstrated that creating low-slope surfaces leads to a broader range of habitats, increasing substrate heterogeneity and thereby providing multiple ecological niches for various species, ultimately enhancing regional biodiversity.

Abstract Introduction: Brine leaching tailings (BLT), produced from the pilot scale extraction of lead from zinc filter cakes, contain concentrations of heavy metals that surpass established threshold limits. Prior to the construction of a lead extraction facility, it is imperative to identify a method that is technically viable, economically sustainable, and environmentally benign. The primary aim of this research is to diminish the solubility of metallic elements in BLT through the application of stabilization and solidification (S/S) techniques, incorporating additives such as cement, silica fume, and sand.
Materials and Methods: While assessing the physical properties of BLT, their chemical characteristics, including heavy metal content, were analyzed using ICP-OES and oxide compositions were determined via XRF. To decrease the solubility of heavy metals, particularly lead, the S/S method was applied to these tailings. In this context, to achieve the necessary strength in the tailings, 16 mixtures containing tailings with varying additions of cement (0-10%), silica fume (0-1.5%), and sand (0-10%) were designed using DX7 software. Cubic samples were prepared with a water to powder ratio of 0.4 (w/p=0.4). These cubic specimens (5×5×5 cm) were tested to assess their compressive strength at 7 and 28 days. The 7-day and 28-day samples from mixture Ni16, which exhibited the highest compressive strength, underwent the TCLP using EPA Method 1311. Subsequently, heavy metals in the TCLP extract were quantified using EPA Method 6010D via ICP-OES. Additionally, to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the original tailings and the S/S-treated tailings, XRD testing was conducted.
Results: The major concentrations of elements in BLT exceed their permissible limits in the tailings. Moreover, the TCLP test of the control sample indicated that the concentration of lead in the extract (6.11 ppm) surpassed its permissible limit. Consequently, it is essential to reduce the solubility of the waste elements through the S/S method before disposal. The compressive strength of the mixtures at 7 and 28 days ranged from 2 to 5.2 MPa and 2 to 9 MPa, respectively, exceeding the minimum required compressive strength of 0.35 MPa. The concentrations of all heavy metals in the extracts from two S/S samples, N15 and N16, were below their permissible limits, thus validating the effectiveness of the applied S/S method. Analysis of the S/S tailings and the S/S sample (Ni16) revealed the formation of new minerals such as Gypsum, C-S-H (Calcium Silicate Hydrate), Ettringite, and Calcium Silicon. These minerals, resulting from the use of silica fume and cement and the hydration products of cement with the tailings, are likely contributors to the enhanced compressive strength of the samples.
Discussion: While clarifying the negative impact of sand on the strength of the mixtures, it was observed that the percentages of cement and silica fume had a direct correlation with the compressive strength of the samples. Notably, the slope of changes in compressive strength per cement was substantially higher for the 28-day samples compared to the 7-day samples. One of the factors leading to the reduced short-term compressive strength of the mixtures can be the presence of heavy metals in the tailings. These metals interfere with the hydration reaction, thereby preventing the effective formation of silicate gel.

Abstract Introduction: Mangrove forests in Iran are spread over about 11,000 ha and in the shores of the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea, between 25º 11 to 27º 52´ from Goatar Bay in Sistan and Baluchistan province to Bardkhon in Bushehr province. These forests are valueable due to the having sensitive biophysical resources, breeding important and biodiversity. At the same time, they are in the rank of one of the most important marine sensitive areas and need proper management. The purpose of this study is to assess the risks of mangrove forests in the international wetlands of Rud-e-Shur, Rud-e-Shirin and Rud-e-Minab using the DPSIR model.
Materials and Methods: Based on the studies of existing documents, as well as the opinions and experts, environmental hazards were identified in the investigation of Driving Forces, Pressures, State, Impacts and Responses models. Finally, using the Delphi phase, out of a total of 78 factors threatening of wetland, a total of 30 environmental risks were identified and prioritized. At the second stage, the intensity of the effect, the probability of occurrence and the sensitivity of the environment accepting the specified risks and threats are scored in five categories: very high, high, medium, low and very low (in the numerical range of 1 to 5) and finally using the method TOPSIS and TOPSIS Solver software were rated.
Results: The results of the study showed that 30 risky factors including 24 human and 7 environmental origin cases; put living and existence of International Wetland into danger and risk. 5 threat indicators with human origin include population growth, human activities, excessive harvesting of ecosystem services, aquaculture, and management weakness; 2 threat indicators with environmental origin include drought and climate change have been prioritized. Based on the results of risk factors rankings, human and aquaculture activities were identified in particular order with 0.912 and 0.648 coefficient as two intolerance ranks among threat indicators factors in the international wetland. Also, oil smuggling, destruction of habitat, and transmission of shrimp farming effluent into Wetland, was classified as 1, 0.87, 0.75 respectively, ranking in the first to third risk factors.
Discussion: According to the amount of Cli, two factors of oil smuggling and destruction of habitats are categorized in intolerable risks. Two factors of the transfer of wastewater from shrimp farms to the wetland and water pollution are categorized at the noteworthy category, as well as the countless traffic of vessels inside the lagoon and the creation of shrimp farm channels in the estuaries leading to the lagoon are in the category of tolerable risks, respectively, in the first to sixth priorities, which require control measures to reduce environmental risks. In order to protect the studied international wetland, it is necessary to promote public information about the ecological characteristics and effects of the wetland in the environment of the province, as well as the threats facing them through public education. Educating everyone about the necessity and method of protecting the environment of wetland and the effects of neglecting its destruction, drafting laws, regulations, criteria and executive standards regarding fuel smuggling, along with the appropriate executive guarantee of the government and finally the organization's forecast. Implementation guidelines and mechanisms to include environmental considerations in the country's development plans are the pillars without which the desired goals cannot be achieved.

Abstract Introduction: Air pollution is a major global environmental problem that has various adverse effects on health and the environment. Countries have come to the conclusion that the fight against this problem will only be possible through international cooperation. Therefore, taking measures to reform the existing structures based on scientific principles and applying the laws and experiences of other countries in the world to deal with air pollution are among the main priorities. The distinction of this research is to investigate the role of international guarantees and documents and Iranian laws in dealing with air pollution, so this research seeks to bridge the gap between domestic laws and documents in comparison with international laws.
Materials and Methods: The present study is in the group of applied research in terms of objectives and nature, and an analytical-descriptive method has been used in its conduct. First, these documents and laws were studied in the form of a library, then according to the questions and conceptual framework, the documents and laws in the national and international system were analyzed, and finally the documents and laws were implemented. To investigate the hypotheses, dialectics, which is one of the methods of scientific cognition (research), was used.
Results: In the environmental sector, the law of the Fifth Five-Year Plan is not sufficient and does not include comprehensive and long-term plans to achieve sustainable and appropriate development. The municipal law approved in 1955 has also not been able to play a significant role in the realization of the guarantee of the human right to clean air due to the lack of executive guarantees and up-to-dateness. The Environmental Protection and Improvement Act of 1974 also needs to be revised and amended due to the objective conditions of the post-revolutionary society and the flaws and inadequacies of the regulations. Although the penalty of fine in the Clean Air Law has increased in terms of amount compared to the previous law, unfortunately, it has less power than these perpetrators in the case of factories and legal entities that have more income. Regarding the performance of the Clean Air Act, it can be stated that out of the 56 articles stipulated in the Clean Air Law and its technical regulations, the implementation of 22 articles has been estimated to be poor, 17 to moderate, and 17 to be good. International instruments also lack a clear guarantee of implementation, and the mechanism provided for in the conventions seems to be very simple and inefficient.
Discussion: The laws and approvals related to air pollution have not been properly implemented, and this issue is more noticeable in the case of the Clean Air Act. The most important reasons for the lack of law enforcement are lack of financial resources, lack of priority to the issue of air pollution, lack of adequate and effective supervision, inconsistency between the executive agencies and island operations, personal interpretation of the law's texts, and finally, the flaws in the text of the law. According to the results of the present study, it can be acknowledged that in Iran, as a developing country, the issue of guaranteeing the right to clean air and its implementation mechanisms has not yet found its real place in the legal system. International instruments also lack a specific guarantee of performance such as reciprocity or specific contractual mechanisms. Due to the negative effects of air pollution on the health of citizens and the country's economy, urgent action to untie the existing knots over the implementation of the Clean Air Act is necessary and there must be a serious will in this regard.

Abstract Introduction: environmental security, is a necessary condition for the health and continuity of human life on earth and due to the vital, widespread and inevitable dependence of humans on the environment, if the environmental security is taken away and it is removed from the possibility of healthy living, as a result of the goal or the means of placing the environment, following environmental terrorism, with various methods such as polluting the natural and man-made environment with dangerous substances, extensive and irreparable damage is caused to human life and health And often, the most obvious effects of damage to the safety and health of the environment appear in the form of epidemics, and on the other hand, the cross-border effects of such actions and the possibility of transferring the said effects from through the flow of air or water or the carriers of disease agents to countries and regions beyond the place of the accident, and the possibility of spreading some of these effects on the life and health of future generations, reveals the seriousness of the danger of environmental terrorism, hence, The purpose of this thesis is to explain the vital necessity of legal, technical and specialized contrast, against environmental terrorism in the form of an efficient criminal policy with international interaction, with emphasizing the extent and irreparability of the effects caused by environmental terrorism, and the necessity and importance of preventive measures.
Materials and Methods:  In terms of the goal, the current research will cause expansion the legal theories and doctrine and complete the previous theories with the fundamental method of the research results, and also with the practical approach, effective practical solutions to deal with environmental terrorism will be presented, and on the other hand, the materials and information used in the research, They are collected with the library method and after collecting and categorizing the materials and information, with the descriptive-analytical method, the findings and the collected materials are analyzed logically and legally and they are used as the basis of citation to strengthen the approach of the researcher in the relevant subject.
Results: In a comprehensive and efficient criminal policy to contrast against environmental terrorism, in addition to criminalizing this criminal phenomenon along with the real conceptology and in addition to recognizing its specific elements, it is expected that with the necessary criminal measures, specialized measures will be taken to identify and criminalize behaviors that it has a preliminary aspect to dangerous crimes, and it is possible that environmental terrorism is also committed through them, and therefore, in order to prevent this criminal phenomenon, criminalize such behaviors in the form of obstruction crimes seems necessary.
Discussion: In Iran's criminal system, environmental terrorism has not been considered as an independent criminal behavior, with specific elements and specific conditions, However, due to the inherent of the behaviors related to environmental terrorism, this type of terrorism is inherently reprehensible, and as a rule, it can be included in various legal elements in the criminal laws, and on the other hand, due to the analogy of some elements of this criminal phenomenon with the destruction of the earth, According to jurisprudence, significant examples of environmental terrorism behaviors can be considered as examples of corruption in the land subject to Article 286 of the Islamic Penal Code (approved in 2012). However, in the set of regulations in various fields, some deterrent criminal contrivances are visible in the form of obstruction crimes, which are effective in the process of preventing environmental terrorism and play an effective role in the effectiveness of the criminal policy of counteraction.

Abstract Introduction: The problem of environmental degradation is one of the important global issues that is caused by human actions and activities. This issue is also of great importance from an economic point of view. Environmental degradation is not the result of a single factor or variable, and several causes and factors are involved in its emergence. This study addresses some of these factors, including tourism, economic growth, and urbanization.
Materials and Methods: The main objective of the present study is to investigate the relationship between tourism, economic growth, urbanization, and environmental degradation in developing Islamic countries (including Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, and Nigeria) during the period 2005-2020 using the methods of Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS), Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS), and Pooled Mean Group (PMG). The general model of this study is as follows:
                                                                         CO_2it = f (TR_it, GDP_it, POP_it, Ur_it) Where CO₂ is the amount of carbon dioxide emissions, TR is the income from arrival tourists (as a percentage of GDP), GDP is the economic growth rate, POP is the population growth rate, and UR is urbanization. It should be noted that the statistics and information required in this study were collected from the World Bank data source.
Results: The results of this study, based on the findings from the model estimation using the Pooled Mean Group (PMG) method, show that the coefficient of the international tourism variable is significant at the one percent level and has a direct relationship with the carbon dioxide emission variable in eight developing Islamic countries. According to the results of this study, economic growth at the one percent level has a positive and significant relationship with the carbon dioxide emission variable in eight developing Islamic countries. Also, according to the results of the present study, urbanization at the one percent level has a positive and significant relationship with the carbon dioxide emission variable in eight developing Islamic countries. In addition, the results of this study indicate a positive and significant effect of population on carbon dioxide emissions in eight developing Islamic countries at the level of one percent; meaning that population growth reduces environmental quality in eight developing Islamic countries including Iran. Also, to examine the validity of the PMG model results, the model was estimated using two methods: DOLS and FMOLS, and their results confirm the validity of the model results estimated using the PMG method.
Discussion: In summary, based on the results of this study, the coefficients of the variables of international tourism, economic growth, population, and urbanization are significant at the one percent level and have a direct relationship with the carbon dioxide emission variable. Meaning that an increase in each of these variables reduces environmental quality in eight developing Islamic countries including Iran. Therefore, it is suggested that, first, policymakers of international tourism destinations should adopt strategies that help these destinations reduce the use of fossil fuels and attract more tourism investments. Secondly, to improve environmental quality or reduce environmental degradation, instead of environmentally destructive diesel-powered transportation, tourist transportation with environmentally friendly vehicles such as electric vehicles and bicycle tourism should be selected and promoted in tourist destinations. Thirdly, carbon pricing approaches should be adopted that, like carbon taxes, not only facilitate emission reductions but can also provide an additional source of revenue.