Policy analysis of Urban Air Pollution Reduction in Iran in the Scope of Political Ecology

This research is a kind of descriptive, analytical and comparative study that started with documentary analysis of ambient air pollution control policies in Iran and especially related to Tehran the capital city of the country. This paper by using policy analysis in the framework of public policy theories, aims to compare Tehran with Istanbul and in some cases London and Mexico City to recognize why the policy package of ambient air pollution reduction in Tehran has been failed while the compared cities have achieved successful outcomes. This paper attempts to analyze the reasons behind the failure of Tehran's air pollution control policies by employing a network of public policy theories with the highest power of interpretation such as policy window, punctuated equilibrium and power-centric concepts. The results show that due to the concentration of air pollution in Tehran currently and the political and social conditions of the country, the incremental policy making model of air pollution reduction has not been successful so far (through 44 years and also is at the risk of non-fulfilment in the future. The Authors of this paper stress that waiting to open the policy windows would not be enough to overcome the air pollution crisis in Tehran. The authors of this paper argues that due to failure of the current policy package, ecological policy makers of Tehran, should change their approach by choosing the punctuated equilibrium master model, to be followed by radical interventions. Identifying the causes of non-decision-making in reforming city affairs, could clarify the impact of interest groups on failing of policies through out a power-based analysis. This study along with providing an analytical clarification of the effective variables in policy failure, ends with offering a bundle of prescriptive policies in order to control the issue.