With the intensification of climate change impacts on water resources, revisiting the legal obligations of executive institutions in the field of water governance has become a strategic imperative in Iran’s environmental policymaking. This article adopts an analytical and comparative approach to examine the climate-related obligations of Iran’s regional water companies, interpreting them through the lens of international climate law, human rights, and sustainable development frameworks. The theoretical foundation of the study is built upon key principles such as intergenerational equity, the no-harm rule, common but differentiated responsibilities, and the recognition of the rights to water and a healthy climate as emerging human rights norms. At the level of administrative law, the study evaluates the statutory duties, institutional mandates, and structural limitations of regional water companies, identifying critical gaps in climate accountability and social responsiveness. Drawing on comparative experiences from Turkey, India, and France, the article proposes institutional reforms to enhance water governance in Iran. The findings suggest that a transition toward multi-level, accountable, and human-centered governance requires legal restructuring, the design of participatory and oversight mechanisms, and the strengthening of normative linkages between human rights and water policy. Such institutional transformation could reposition regional water companies from purely technical operators to legal and climate-responsive actors in the pursuit of environmental justice and sustainable development.
Ghanbari, P. and Rashnavadi, M. (2025). Obligations of the Iran Water Resources Management Company in Addressing Climate Change: Legal and Economic Approach. Journal of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, 5(12), -. doi: 10.22054/eenr.2025.89660.218
MLA
Ghanbari, P. , and Rashnavadi, M. . "Obligations of the Iran Water Resources Management Company in Addressing Climate Change: Legal and Economic Approach", Journal of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, 5, 12, 2025, -. doi: 10.22054/eenr.2025.89660.218
HARVARD
Ghanbari, P., Rashnavadi, M. (2025). 'Obligations of the Iran Water Resources Management Company in Addressing Climate Change: Legal and Economic Approach', Journal of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, 5(12), pp. -. doi: 10.22054/eenr.2025.89660.218
CHICAGO
P. Ghanbari and M. Rashnavadi, "Obligations of the Iran Water Resources Management Company in Addressing Climate Change: Legal and Economic Approach," Journal of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, 5 12 (2025): -, doi: 10.22054/eenr.2025.89660.218
VANCOUVER
Ghanbari, P., Rashnavadi, M. Obligations of the Iran Water Resources Management Company in Addressing Climate Change: Legal and Economic Approach. Journal of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, 2025; 5(12): -. doi: 10.22054/eenr.2025.89660.218
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