Iraq Among World’s Most Climate-Vulnerable Nations, Environmental Board Warns

AP

A fisherman walks across a dried patch of land in the marshes of southern Iraq in Dhi Qar province, 2 September 2022.

Iraq is the fifth most affected country globally by climate change, a situation that has resulted in prolonged droughts and dangerously rising temperatures, according to a statement by the Kurdistan Region's Board of Environmental Protection and Improvement.

The statement stressed that climate change in Iraq is not solely an environmental issue, but a direct threat to food and water security, noting that rapid temperature increases and the depletion of natural resources are placing growing pressure on the energy sector and public health, underscoring the need for fundamental reforms in irrigation systems and natural resource management to prevent large-scale population displacement.

Over the past 30 years, rainfall in Iraq has declined by 35 percent, while an estimated three billion cubic metres of water are wasted annually due to evaporation and outdated infrastructure. The number of dust-storm days has risen sharply, from around 160 to 250 days per year.

The board noted that Iraq depends on cross-border sources for approximately 90 percent of its water resources, leaving the country particularly vulnerable. It added that Iraq has been facing severe environmental challenges for more than two decades, driven partly by global climate change and partly by the water policies of neighbouring countries, as well as ageing and inefficient irrigation systems.



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