TEHRAN, Aug 10 (Shana) � Vice-President and Head of the Department of Environment Masoomeh Ebtekar said on Tuesday that Iran's splendid environment friendly position in oil and gas worldwide is undeniable.

Addressing a panel of Shana reporters and staff, Ebtekar said, "Efforts should be made to further upgrade the ranking; so, efforts should be made to have a positive consideration of the issue overall."

Referring to certain environmental hazards threatening life of mankind today, Ebtekar said, "Unfortunately, consumption of energy reserves worldwide is on the rise to the extent that by end of the Christian year, the level of consumption equaled year long world natural gas reserves."

She said that in the past 70 years, natural reserves gas extracts rose three times. "But can such excessive extracts be compensated?"

She added, "Model of life style, especially in natural reserve use, should be changed so that suitable climate will be left for people, both present and future generations."

One of the issues that should be taken seriously in environment protection is reforming consumption pattern, said Ebtekar, adding that as President Hassan Rouhani said the government is the government of environment protection. "So, policies for reforming the consumption patterns, especially in the field of energy, are the most important works of the government."

She noted that Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zanganeh, who was also the Minister of Petroleum in the 8th government, managed to win the National Prize of Environment protection. "Mr. Zanganeh, made a lot of troubles those times for protection of environment and won the National Prize of Environment Protection. Due to removal of petrochemicals fuels and the impact left on minimizing pollution of environment in the metropolitan cities and distribution of the euro 4 gasoline in big cities, he won the prize again."

Somewhere in her remarks, Ebtekar said unfortunately the 9th and 10th governments dried up Hurolazim pond for the sake of oil, which encouraged increase in dust, but thanks to effective measures of Ministry of Petroleum in the 11th government, 63 percent of the pond was inundated, leaving drastic impact on lessening dust in the region.

By SHANA