Yusof Hojjat made the comment in an interview with IRNA on the sidelines of a meeting of DOE managers and environment guards of the country.
He said that 10 billion cubic meters of water is consumed a year adding that the annual water volume of Zayandeh Rood (river) which was two billion cubic meters 25 years ago has decreased to one billion today.
He said that 85% of country's water resources are used and if current consumption pattern continues, the country will turn into a desert in 15 years.
'Ships used to sail in Zayandeh Rood river 25 years ago, but, even boats cannot sail today,' he added.
He said that at the current rate building a highway on the river path of Zayandeh Rood and another one along the path of Karoon River in the future will not be too far.
Hojjat said that conflicts will be on horizon for the water shortages in near future crises of the country as the decade-long drought in the southern provinces is moving northward very rapidly.
He said that 15 billion hectares of the area of the earth is comprised of dry lands, 12 billion hectares of which has the capacity of being inhabited, but the trace of human beings is seen in 21 billion hectares of the earth's lands.
The Senior advisor of DOE reiterated that with the current water consumption pattern in the world the earth can have 4 billion population, while there are now 7 billion people living around the globe, which means the earth citizens need to decrease their per capita water consumption by 40% to let 7 billion people drink.
Hojjat said that removal of the environmental hazards seems impossible as either the world population has to be divided by half, which is not possible in short term, or the per capita water consumption needs to be halved, which is again impossible.
'The world population resemble the passengers of a ship who have got aboard overloaded and have come up with insufficient water and food supplies, they should have portions of the existing supplies if they wish to survive,' he said.
The one-day DOE conference aims ways out of the prevailing environmental hazard wound up Tuesday evening.
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DOE official worried about drought, says desertification looming
Oct 13, 2015, 8:32 PM
News ID:
81798164
![DOE official worried about drought, says desertification looming DOE official worried about drought, says desertification looming](https://img9.irna.ir/old/Image/1394/13940721/81798164/N81798164-70230391.jpg)
Tabriz, Oct 13, IRNA – Senior advisor of Department of Environment (DOE) Yusef Hojjat said on Tuesday that drought is posing the threat of desertification.