Barrels of radioactive waste were emptied in and around the facility just outside Baghdad. Rashid was born here, like her parents before her and her children after her. Over the last 40 years, water flows from the Euphrates and Tigris, which provide up to 98% of Iraqs surface water, have decreased by 30-40 percent. As environmental changes intensify, displacement is likely to increase exponentially. The new Economic Monitors special focus titled Overcoming Water Scarcity and Climate Change Impacts, calls for dramatic sector reforms to capture opportunities and manage risks. He says the marshes are a dumping ground and advocates for Iraq to make a sustainability plan. Discussing the environment is not in the interest of our governments, who own this media. Show more . The land here is starved of water, says Al-Asadi. Rashids neighbor, 29-year-old Bilah Tasim Mahmoud, joins her on the porch. Another problem is the high-density traffic in. Beginning in 2004, some restoration has occurred. Iraq remains a country at very high risk of humanitarian crisis (ranked 18 out of 191 on the INFORM Risk Index) and is facing three main overlapping crises concurrently. (Beirut) - Iraq's environmental activists are facing threats, harassment, and arbitrary detention by government officials and armed groups, Human Rights Watch said today. Environment Program and the U.N. Development Program in Iraq signed an agreement to accelerate their environmental goals, which the organizations aim to hit by 2030, including addressing pollution and waste management. In particular, she points to depleted uranium, or DU, used by the U.S. and U.K. in the manufacture of tank armor, ammunition, and other military purposes during the Gulf War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. They just said, do not drink this water, but did not explain why, says Alzaidi. Assess the existing environmental issues in Iraq that require focused attention from the Numerous studies have shown that the pollution stemming from these burn pits has caused severe health complications for American veterans. Abdul Wahab Hamed, who lives near the former U.S. Falcon Base, says his nephew was born with severe birth defects. Military operations in three wars (IranIraq War, Gulf War, and Iraq War) have left unexploded ordnance and land mines in exposed positions, killing or wounding an estimated 100,000 people in the early 2000s. Thick plumes of smoke have begun to billow out of dozens of flaring towers, part of an oil refinery owned by an Iraqi energy company called the KAR Group. More than a dozen rivers snake through Iraq, tributaries of the mighty Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which flow into the Mesopotamian Marshes, also known as the Iraqi Marshes, a wetland area located in the southern part of the country. Rainfall is on a slight downward trend in the south-east of the country. Nevertheless, without accelerated economic reform, unforeseen domestic and fiscal risks could cause reverses. After the Gulf War, many veterans suffered from a condition now known as Gulf War syndrome. Iraqs temperatures are soaring, with the highest of nearly 54C recorded in Basra. Excerpt: Why Do We Insist on Lying to Ourselves? Al-Asadi shows a photo of pollution draining into the marshes, which he studied for his masters thesis. For instance, in 2011, a team of Iraqi scientists reported the same pollutants in the waterways in the Journal of Environmental Protection. on the Environment in Iraq 7 results from environmental measurements, or to contact Iraqi scientists and scientific institu-tions. This village is almost 60 years old and was here long before the oil companies moved in. It is in the water, in the soil, in the vegetation. The Monitor identifies areas where reforms could improve Iraqs resilience to water scarcity and climate changeefficiency, productivity, and demand management policies; institutional solutions; and regional solutions. Reverse osmosis water treatment units help tackle water salinity. The wartime destruction of military and industrial infrastructure has released heavy metals and other hazardous substances into the air, soil, and groundwater. Ive lived in Basra all my life, said Al-Attar. We must not lose sight of how this fuels uncertainty and anxiety over their health and livelihoods. There used to only be 10 companies here and now thereare more than 100, he says. Souad Naji Al-Azzawi, an environmental engineer and a retired University of Baghdad professor, knows this problem well. GDP from oil, still the main driver of medium-term growth in Iraq, is expected to rise in step with the gradual phase-out of OPEC+ production quotas, while non-oil GDP growth is forecast to remain under 3% in 20212023. The Iraqi Ministry of Health and the Kurdistan Ministry of Health did not respond to repeated requests for comment on these issues. He recalls a time in 2006 before he started working on the burn pits when military waste was burned at a base in Anbar and the U.S. military used speakers to warn locals not to drink the water in their village for a week. Today, it can surpass 50C.. He says that most of the locals didnt understand what was said through the speakers, and those who did were uncertain about how, exactly, the water was contaminated. Decades of war, poverty and fossil fuel extraction have devastated the country's environment and its people. While the Iraqi government has publicly recognized widespread pollution stemming from conflict and other sources, and implemented some remediation programs, few critics believe these measures will be adequate to address a variegated environmental and public health problem that is both geographically expansive and attributable to generations of decision-makers both foreign and domestic who have never truly been held to account. Average temperatures in Iraq have risen by at least 0.7C over the last century, while extreme heat is becoming more frequent. The water is undisturbed, barely rocking Al-Asadis boat. International Committee of the Red Cross, Donate to Israel and the occupied territory, Seven things you need to know about climate change and conflict, Malis invisible front line: climate change in a conflict zone. (Eman would only provide her last name to Undark and attempts to follow up with her were unsuccessful.) Its a familiar complaint in and around the marshes. Everyone here is sick, she says. In 2020, the country ranked only behind Russia in the amount of gas flared, according to the World Bank, and air quality in the north as with much of the country can be relentlessly unhealthy to breathe. His nephew, he says, was born with severe birth defects. Desertification and erosion also have reduced arable land. The little water we have is heavily polluted and contaminated. These marshes are not only wracked by evaporation, they are also badly polluted with the black wastewater carried in from sewage pipes that connect back with the regions heavy industry. Keith Baverstock, head of the Radiation Protection Program at the World Health Organizations Regional Office for Europe from 1991 to 2003, says the health of Iraqi residents is likely also at risk from proximity to the burn pits. This past July, in an effort to address the issue, the Kurdistan Regional Governments Ministry of Natural Resources issued a directive, giving oil companies 18 months to halt the flaring and instead seek ways to capture the gas and either reinject it underground, or use as an auxiliary power source. We all are aware of the problems here: extreme weather events and changes in climate patterns such as heat waves, heavy rains, rising temperatures and increased variability and unpredictability. The smoke coats our skin and homes with black soot, says Rashid. Lynzy Billing is a freelance writer and photographer based in Afghanistan and Iraq. An oil spill next to the road on the outskirts of Erbil, in Kurdistan. She says when KAR moved into the area, residents traded their land for KARs promise of jobs and reliable, less expensive electricity for the village. The boy cannot walk or talk, and he is smaller than other children his age. Because of infrastructure damage, significant parts of the population do not have adequate water supply or sanitation systems. As an example, the population of the port town of Fao has decreased from 400,000 to 50,000 people in four decades as people move to the larger cities. If surplus DU has been burned in open pits, there is a clear health risk to people living within a couple of miles, he says. Alani says that while her research clearly shows a connection between contamination and congenital anomalies, she still faces challenges to painting a full picture of the affected areas, in part because data was lacking from Iraqs birth registry. Rising temperatures, droughts, desertification, soil salinisation and landmines. When Im trying to breathe, its like Im dying.. I remember fishing here with my father as a young boy, but look at it now: the fish are already dead, floating on top of the water, he says, pointing out a pile of fish floating in stagnant green water near a sewage point. Preparing for and addressing the risks associated with climate-induced migration requires urgent and coordinated action. Residents living near Camp Taji, just north of Baghdad also report children born with spinal disfigurements and other congenital anomalies, but they say that their requests for investigation have yielded no results. I would have liked to be more positive in my first address to the Iraqi public, but the reality is hard to hide. The government, civil society organizations, and the public are doing nothing to prevent the pollution or find alternatives, says Al-Asadi. To Idris Faroq, Rashids nephew, its just another insult in a land scarred by generations of combat and unchecked greed both foreign and domestic. Visitors can send general inquiries to the communications team. In Kurdistan, miles of pipelines shared with Turkish, Norwegian, and other international energy companies snake across the dry landscape, and the last decade has seen unregulated international, government, and militia oil refineries and oil fields pop up on contested lands, where drilling and flaring unfolds in close proximity to residential areas. A family in mourning. I would have liked to be more positive in my first address to the Iraqi public, but the reality is hard to hide. This land, he added, has been pillaged., Rashids family has grown wheat in Agolan for five generations, she says, but 15 years after the construction of the refinery, they are no longer able to support themselves as farmers. We all have a responsibility to safeguard our collective future and work together towards the greater good. Hence, no waste by running taps, excessive use for gardening and polluting the rivers and streams. When the water levels of these rivers drop, seawater travels further up the Shatt Al Arab estuary and into irrigation canals used for farming and livestock. Some canals in the region have been described as a stream of toxic waste.. The whole atmosphere has changed since we lost the palms. So people have left the land and moved to the cities to find jobs.. Thick plumes of smoke have begun to billow out of dozens of flaring towers, part of an oil refinery owned by an Iraqi energy company called the KAR Group. Shatt-al-Arab and its canals, Istepanian says, are a stream of toxic waste. There is fear that the 2018 water crisis might happen again. Remote sensing The Desk Study identified the Mesopotamian Marshlands as having been almost completely destroyed by 2002 as a consequence of drainage work and upstream damming. Pakistan is facing an acute water shortage and climate change is damaging crops. He dammed and drained Iraqs iconic marshes to flush out rebels hiding in the reeds. Restoring damaged ecosystems is an important first step and water management is key. Higher oil prices turned a fiscal balance of 2.2% in GDP surplus, boosting central bank reserves to almost US$55 billion (15 months of imports) in the first half of 2021. Baghdad suffers worsening housing crisis mainly due to rapid population growth and internal migration, which led to random housing (Qeisi 2012). Cancer has been linked to an overall decline in the health of Iraqis since the 1990s, though precisely whats driving it is under dispute. But while hundreds of vehicles and pieces of artillery were removed, these graveyards remain a source of contamination. For example, says Al-Azzawi, two so-called tank graveyards in Basra were partially remediated in 2013 and 2014. We, at the United Nations are ready to help the new Government of Iraq to deliver on its climate commitments through tangible actions and implementation, coordinated solutions, and engagement at all levels. Environment Program announced initiatives to address the steep environmental challenges in Iraq. The loss of a migration area for birds migrating from Eurasia to Africa, and consequent decrease in bird populations in areas such as the Ukraine and the Caucasus. When people are unable to depend on the land for their livelihoods, they migrate to urban areas like Basra or Najaf in the search for jobs. The United Nations Environment Program estimates that some 2,000 tons of depleted uranium may have been used in Iraq, and much of it has yet to be cleaned up. Harry Istepanian, senior fellow at the Iraq Energy Institute, says that the rivers and crisscrossed canals leading off the marshes in southern Iraq are highly contaminated with industry waste, sewage, pesticides, sunken ships, and other military debris that have sat at the bottom of the waterways since the 1980s. An Iraqi oil pipeline burns after sabotage by . Azhar Al-Asadi, a 31-year-old member of Save the Tigris organization and a water environmentalist, stands outside his home nestled on the corner of a quiet street. Dust filled the air, kicked up by hot winds. Landfills like Kwashe and Tanjero (pictured here) leak oil and industrial waste into the surrounding environment. Standing in the former wheat field near her home, she gazes at the raging flames towering several stories above her. His two children, he says, also suffer from health problems. The Mesopotamian Marshes, also known as the Iraqi Marshes, are a wetland area located in the southern part of the country. By Lynzy Billing. Some of the barrels containing uranium were stolen and dumped in rivers and barrels were found and used by people in the surrounding villages to preserve water and food, not knowing they were contaminated, says Al-Azzawi. Meanwhile, he says, there is nothing left for us.. Mahmoud has been keeping track of the miscarriages that occur in Agolan, though she has no one official to take it to. Then, at the start of the Iraq War, the Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center known colloquially as the yellowcake factory was looted. The data and science are clear. Now Iraqs waterways face a new threat. These were huge detonations, and many bases are located near residential and agricultural areas., (The actual number of bases with burn pits is contested, but the U.S. military has only publicly identified around 40. Reuters Displaced people from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing violence from forces. My study clearly showed that these sewage stations produce pollution which is harmful to human beings, animals, and plants.. Unemployment is high, as are tensions, which doesnt bode well for recovery and stability.. The World Bank Group works in every major area of development. Todays generation of UN teams on the ground, a key investment for a sustainable future, The UN Reform in Action: Working together to support Bangladesh, Lao PDR and Nepals LDC graduation, Fighting the Current: helping Pakistan recover and prepare for future climate disasters, Strengthening Resident Coordinator Leadership, Climate change is the biggest threat Iraq has ever faced, but there is hope to turn things around. The impact of climate change in the Arctic, due to the nature of its ecosystem, the wealth of natural resources and the intensification of activities for their production, is becoming more and more significant and leads to an aggravation of environmental problems in this territory. This page was last edited on 5 March 2023, at 13:54. She will work through lunch. Local residents were additionally exposed via contaminated dust. In the course of my profession, Ive been to so many countries and Ive seen many problems, but the effects of climate change here are dramatic. Back in Agolan village in Kurdistan, the KAR Group has begun flaring again. To Al-Azzawi, the reasons for such anomalies seem plain. There is still time to turn things around. Our work on the Sustainable Development Goals. For example, conflict will often weaken a governments ability to manage natural resources, the environment and infrastructure. When theres not enough rain or vegetation, the upper layers of earth become less compact, meaning the chance of dust or sandstorms increases, explained Al-Attar. The public health system, meanwhile, is in a disarray. At the same time, miscarriages and premature births have spiked among Iraqi women, she says, particularly in areas where heavy U.S. military operations occurred as part of the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 to 2011 Iraq War. I am encouraged that as well as joining the Paris Agreement, Iraq is pioneering its Green Paper, enshrining climate adaptation in policy. COP 27 needs to deliver on the commitments to finance climate action in developing countries, including Iraq. While climate change is affecting many countries, some of the measures to mitigate its impact start at home. This includes Omar, who says he was diagnosed with cancer last year. The data and science are clear. In an email to Undark, Richard Kidd, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense for Environment and Energy Resilience, acknowledged that the military still had nine active burn pits at bases throughout the Middle East and Afghanistan, though he did not respond to other questions regarding contamination or Iraqi residents claims of health problems related to burn pits.). He has found the waterways contain high levels of harmful toxins such as phosphorus, ammonium, and nitrate. The crops no longer grow, Rashid says, and anyway, the land isnt safe for agriculture now. When you add this problem to the high levels of other pollutants that are present, then its a real danger for public health.. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is vital, but these efforts must be complemented by helping communities to adapt to a changing climate and environment so they can cope with current and future risks, said Catherine-Lune Grayson, ICRCs policy adviser on climate change and conflict. Take a bow, Ms Billing, more power to you, and may your tribe increase! In the 1980s, to flush out rebels hiding in the marshes, then-President Saddam Hussein had them dammed and drained. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on FlipBoard (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window). Campaigning for the environment, promoting large-scale recycling and other sound environmental practices, involving the youth who make up more than half of Iraqs population in climate-related matters from early life, guarantee the success of any efforts to save our planet. As a boy, the summer temperature never went much beyond 40C in summer. Iraq has been named the fifth-most vulnerable country to climate breakdown, affected by soaring temperatures, insufficient and diminishing rainfall3, intensified droughts and water scarcity,. @ICRC_IQ pic.twitter.com/yMYCi3jw2M. These weather events contribute to desertification. If they dont, the conditions will deteriorate further and then we will be at the point where we can no longer amend the situation.. COP 27 is an important opportunity for world governments to stick to and further develop their climate commitments (Nationally Determined Contributions) while transferring the climate change spirit and awareness back to Iraq. Seventy percent of Iraqs industrial waste is being dumped directly into rivers or the sea, according to researchers. Without action, water constraints will lead to large losses across multiple sectors of the economy and come to affect more and more vulnerable people.. Thats the problem, experts who study Iraqs complex mosaic of pollution and health challenges say. To support the Ministry of Environment in Iraq in developing capacity for environmental governance, and to address some of the key priority environmental management issues, UNEP's interventions had the following key objectives: 1. And with each sandstorm a common event the radioactive particles are swept into neighborhoods and cities. Iran's growing environmental challenges have recently reached crisis point. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. There are only personal and individual efforts.. Utilizing solar energy, cost effective and abundant from the powerful sunrays throughout most of the year, and improving energy efficiency by reaching zero gas flaring as well as simultaneously building up renewables, such as wind and hydro, will certainly help reduce toxic emissions and cost. It hurts when you see the younger generation leaving rural areas to go work in unskilled labor jobs in urban areas or in the oil fields. Tanks were removed from this depleted uranium site along a main road in Basra, but remnants of weaponry pollute the soils and water. Regional and national water management practices have resulted in less water reaching southern Iraq in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Even though these were controlled detonations, they would leave the whole area contaminated, says Alzaidi. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. With climate action backed by Iraqs leaders and people, we have a real opportunity to leave a better Iraq for our next generation. Campaigning for the environment, promoting large-scale recycling and other sound environmental practices, involving the youth who make up more than half of Iraqs population in climate-related matters from early life, guarantee the success of any efforts to save our planet. Find out what the UN in Iraq is doing towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Al-Azzawis work suggests that the illnesses are linked to depleted uranium. The United Nations in Iraq comprises two field missions (UNAMI and UNITAD), UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes, working at the community, governorate and national levels across the Republic of Iraq. Nevertheless, without accelerated economic reform, unforeseen domestic and fiscal risks could cause reverses. COP 27 will build on the outcomes ofCOP26 and respond to the acute global climate emergency from urgently needed mitigation efforts in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, to building resilience and adapting to the inevitable impacts of climate change. Coupled with this, the rivers pass through one of the driest areas in the region. While burning off the excess gas is technically better for the climate than merely venting it into the atmosphere, both have impacts on the climate and more immediately on local health. They arent only about fruit. Public advocacy and accountability can also encourage private local and international investment to enable green start-ups in the agriculture, waste, and energy sectors. Anyone with information is strongly encouraged to report the matter. Alzaidi says he worried about the health of residents living close to the bases. The historic marshlands in the south, a natural heritage wonder, are drying up. She looks squarely at the oil plant, which sits on what she says used to be her familys land. There were more than 30 million palms before the Iran-Iraq war, today theres less than half that number, said Adel Al-Attar, an ICRC water and habitat advisor, from Basra. A flare stack near Kwashe. As of 2017, Iraq was one of only 3 countries in the world with widespread use of leaded engine gasoline for automobiles, the others being Algeria and Yemen. There needs to be a concrete plan for sustaining everyday life on this land, says Al-Asadi. In southern Iraq, you have an environment that has been damaged by years of conflict, poor environmental management and weak governance. To learn more about the UN's work on the ground, visit: iraq.un.org. The towers are just about 150 feet from where 60-year-old Kamila Rashid stands on the front porch of her house. All photos by LYNZY BILLING for UNDARK. Let's Take Action Towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Again, projections suggest they are likely to increase. In the course of my profession, Ive been to so many countries and Ive seen many problems, but the effects of climate change here are dramatic. According to a 2012 article in Al Jazeera, Samira Alani, a pediatrician at Fallujah General Hospital, estimated that 14 percent of babies born in the city had birth defects more than twice the global average. Opinion: Untangling the Wood-Wide Web Narrative, published in the Engineering and Technology Journal, Book Review: A Science Journalists Heartbreak. A few years later, she led a team to measure the impact of radiation on soldiers and Iraqi civilians in the south of the country. In 2021, Iraq experienced its second driest season in 40 years due to record low rainfall. Children play in front of Bilah Tasim Mahmouds home. And the soil contamination and air pollution from expanding oil fields and gas flaring are infiltrating area aquifers. A fall of 20% in Iraqs water supply and the related declining crop yields that could accompany climate change, could reduce real GDP in Iraq by up to 4%, or US$6.6 billion. If you go back even further to the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, iconic date palms were cut down for military purposes in places like Fao, south of Basra. This is not the Mesopotamia as described in the history books, the land of civilizations. The KAR refinery looms in the background. Sun scorched grasslands lead the way to what is left of the dried-out marshes. A man named Amer, standing near the top of a ladder, works for one of the oil companies near Kwashe. He has investigated contamination in Iraq and says additional research is needed to clean up harmful toxins and mitigate health risks to people living in post-conflict regions. Another major issue that weakens the environment is soil and water salinity, which has long been a widespread problem in Iraq. The light from an oil companys flaring reflects on polluted waters near Basra. The land was handed over, Rashid says, but she maintains that KAR never provided the promised electricity or long-term jobs. The depleted uranium has leached into the water and surrounding soils. But these marshes are being abandoned. This beautiful and fertile land, known throughout history for civilizations sprouting around the mighty rivers Tigris and Euphrates, now stands on the frontline of a global climate crisis as the worlds 5th most vulnerable country. Data and research help us understand these challenges and set priorities, share knowledge of what works, and measure progress. Learn about employment opportunities across the UN in Iraq. The Kwashe landfill is surrounded by agricultural land and dozens of oil companies. Many of them still hold oil products, unexploded ordnance, and possibly rocket fuel, propellants, and toxic chemicals and may still be leaking, he wrote in an email to Undark. Local residents are in an impossible situation, he says, given that the oil companies and a nearby PVC factory provide some of the only employment opportunities. Yasin Omar and his two children live in the village of Moqeble near the Kwashe landfill. See other installments here. In short, Iraq presents a uniquely dystopian tableau one where human activity contaminates virtually every ecosystem, and where terms like ecocide have special currency. In the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, miles of pipelines shared by international energy companies snake across the dry landscape. When I asked Iraqis and others who have been here for many years, I was told it was never like this before. Compounding this, water policies in neighbouing countries have shrunk vital water sources, while rapid population growth, urbanization, and inefficient water use by the agricultural and industrial sectors is propelling a demand for more water. Managing water resources will require both diplomacy and tackling Iraqs own water pollution and inefficiency problems. Utilizing solar energy, cost effective and abundant from the powerful sun rays throughout most of the year, and improving energy efficiency by reaching zero gas flaring as well as simultaneously building up renewables, such as wind and hydro, will certainly help reduce toxic emissions and cost. This is Emans sixth year at the hospital, and her 25th as a physician. As a result, the wetlands dwindled to less than 7 percent of their size. I must say that all is not lost. There needs to be a concrete plan for sustaining everyday life on this land. Desertification in the south has decimated the agricultural sector, which used to employ a sizeable part of the population. The marshes are polluted with wastewater from the regions industry, often dumped directly into waterways by sewage pipes. Today, remnants of tanks and weapons line the main highway from Baghdad to Basra, where contaminated debris remains a part of residents everyday lives. Pages in category "Environmental issues in Iraq". This is because over the years many urban . There arent enough jobs for them in these sectors. Due to pollution from the refinery, Rashid says, the familys remaining land is no longer fit for agriculture. In 1991, she was asked to review plans to reconstruct some of Baghdads water treatment plants, which had been destroyed at the start of the Gulf War, she says. Environmental recovery in Iraq: Cleaning up conflict pollution using natural solutions "We must not forget that people continue to suffer from this pollution. In 2021, Iraq experienced its second driest season in 40 years due to record low rainfall. Clearly, climate change has taken its toll on this country. I am encouraged that by joining the Paris Agreement, Iraq is pioneering its Green Paper which enshrines climate adaptation in policy. Weaponization of water management infrastructure ISIL seized control of critical dams and barrages to exert hydrologic hegemony over downstream cities and rural areas by either cutting off water supplies or releasing a flood wave to drown government controlled areas. Low river water means seawater is pushing into southern lands, with salination threatening agriculture. Iraq has been named the fifth-most vulnerable country to climate breakdown, affected by soaring temperatures, insufficient and diminishing rainfall3, intensified droughts and water scarcity, frequent sand and dust storms, and flooding. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Last year the Iraqi Red Crescent Society started a programme that will install eight reverse osmosis water treatment units, which are solar powered, helping around 20,000 people to access drinking water. Over that time span, she says, she has seen an array of congenital anomalies, most commonly cleft palates, but also spinal deformities, hydrocephaly, and tumors. Over the last 40 years, water flows from the Euphrates and Tigris, which provide up to 98% of Iraqs surface water, have decreased by 30-40 percent. Evaporation, while not the main factor, plays a role in increasing salinity. Fertile soil is turning into desert.. Other research has found heavy metals and hydrocarbons in the marshes, and confirmed the high levels of salinity. The UN takes all reports of possible wrongdoing seriously. There is hope to turn things around, and it is for the Iraqis to take the lead. These towers were designed for the intentional burning of natural gas, a byproduct of pumping oil from the ground. Cancers in Iraq catapulted from 40 cases among 100,000 people in 1991 to at least 1,600 by 2005. Caption: A street in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. During the war with Iran, which spanned the 1980s, former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein accused the regions Indigenous inhabitants, known collectively as Marsh Arabs, of treachery. Clearly, climate change has taken its toll on this country. Water and soil salinity are bad for crops, bad for animals, bad for people, said Malgrati. When I travelled to Baghdad a month ago to assume my duties in Iraq to help coordinate our support to the government and people in need, the land of the two rivers was totally different from what I had seen two decades ago when I first worked in Iraq. The future is emigration, said Al-Attar. Eman says she suspects contaminated water, lack of proper nutrition, and poverty are all factors, but war also has a role. A 2019 U.N. Everything living is dying plants, animals, and humans. The UNSDG guides, supports, tracks and oversees the coordination of development operations in 162 countries and territories. In Fao, arable land has decreased from 7.5 sq km to 3.75 sq km, while in Thi Qar it has dropped from 100 sq km to just 12.5 sq km. What about scores of dead palm trees? Little priority has historically been given to the environmental dimensions of armed conflict, yet damage to the environment often echoes long into the future, says Wim Zwijnenburg, who works for the Dutch peace organization PAX and has studied and written about the impact of war on the environment. Burkina Faso: When water scarcity meets conflict. We provide a wide array of financial products and technical assistance, and we help countries share and apply innovative knowledge and solutions to the challenges they face. With climate action backed by Iraqs leaders and people, we have a real opportunity to leave a better Iraq for our next generation. Every U.S. base had a burn pit, Salam Alzaidi says bluntly, taking a seat in a cafe on the outskirts of Baghdad. 30 May 2023 13:24:04 I showed my findings to Iraqi government officials but they just ignored my studies. In June 2003, a fire at the Al-Mishraq state run sulfur plant near Mosul burned for 3 weeks and was the largest human-made release of sulfur dioxide ever recorded.[1]. Explore and easily find UNSDG publications. Healthcare services also deteriorated amid a growing number of cases of COVID-19s Delta variant. In the early 1990s, these marshlands were intentionally dried up as a means of retaliation against a population considered to be rebellious. "UNEP Transport Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles", A collection of articles, studies and reports relating to Iraq's environment, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Environmental_issues_in_Iraq&oldid=1143017811. Both countries have disputed those claims. To get a better handle on the scale and severity of the contamination, as well as any health impacts, they say, international teams will need to assist in comprehensive investigations. 12.22.2021 1 Comment I t's 6 p.m. and the pink-tinged skies turn black above Agolan, a village on the outskirts of Erbil in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq. Many drank the water anyway. The loss of palms and the drying of the marshlands are visible reminders of the direct damage that war has inflicted upon the environment in southern Iraq. Dialogue and engagement with neighbouring countries to ensure a fair share of water is critical for Iraq. According to a 2010 paper published in the American Journal of Public Health, leukemia cases in children under 15 doubled from 1993 to 1999 at one hospital in southern Iraq, a region of the country that was particularly hard hit by war. Rashid leaves her front porch to walk across the field that stands between her home and the facility. Its an expensive process and capacity is limited, but water is in short supply so its necessary., The units are solar-powered and should help around 20,000 people get access to clean water. Its a common refrain among doctors and researchers in Iraq, many of whom say they simply dont have the resources and capacity to properly quantify the compounding impacts of war and unchecked industry on Iraqs environment and its people. This is the legacy of the American invasion and the wars that came before it everyone left their waste behind. Even so, few places on earth beg such questions as desperately as modern Iraq, a country devastated from the northern refineries of Kurdistan to the Mesopotamian marshes of the south and nearly everywhere in between by decades of war, poverty, and fossil fuel extraction. 12 Nov 2022, Baghdad. KAR uses the water from the river for their work and then they dump their waste, she says, pointing at a pipe piercing through the exterior wall of the refinery. Iraq has two climatic provinces: the hot, arid lowlands, including the alluvial plains and the deserts; and the damper northeast, where the higher elevation produces cooler temperatures. Environmental issues in Iraq. Ships seemingly covered in rust can be seen half submerged in water around the marshes, he says. As the Islamic State is losing ground in Iraq and Syria, Iran and Turkey are . Around that same time, epidemiological studies found that from 1990 to 1997, cases of childhood leukemia increased 60 percent in the southern Iraqi town of Basra, which had been a focal point of the fighting. Roughly 250 miles south of Agolan, a pediatrician named Eman navigates the bustling, narrow corridors of Baghdads Central Pediatric Teaching Hospital. Historically fertile areas in southern Iraq are disappearing, according to local authorities. According to local hospitals, the likely cause is the burn pits. Find out more about our work towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Omar used to work at an oil company himself until health problems arose. This needs to change.. Of key importance to Iraq is dealing with water scarcity and the degradation of water quality in its rivers and groundwater. The towers, also called flare stacks, are used by oil refineries across the globe to burn the byproducts of oil extraction. Baghdad, November 24, 2021 Iraqs economic outlook has improved on the back of the recovery of global oil markets, with its GDP projected to grow from 2.6% in 2021 to over 6% in 202223. The livelihood and even existence of entire communities are at stake. This list may not reflect recent changes ( learn more ). The burning of such material created clouds of black smoke made up of numerous pollutants, including particulate matter and dioxins like a chemical weapon called hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. Together, we all have a responsibility to safeguard our collective future and work towards the greater good. The Fifth Crime is an ongoing series, produced in collaboration with Inside Climate News and NBC, about the campaign to make ecocide an international crime. COP 27 is an important opportunity for world governments to stick to and further develop their climate commitments (Nationally Determined Contributions) while transferring the climate change spirit and awareness back to Iraq. UN teams are now better enabled to support countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With the 27th UN Climate Change Conference COP27 proceeding in full swing in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, it is important to look at environmental issues and challenges in Iraq and what needs to be done about them. Another oil refinery, not operated by the KAR Group, sits directly next to Agolan. Some facilities have been built within villages, expelling residents from their land and homes. Swathes of arid land dotted by stubborn palm trees were patiently struggling to withstand the elements of nature. Conflict, neglect, soil salinity, there are several reasons that have contributed towards their loss. But few studies have been conducted lately, and now, more than 20 years on, its difficult to know precisely which factors are contributing to Iraqs ongoing medical problems. Environmental priority sites 2.1 Overview UNEP's Post Conflict Assessment Unit (PCAU) prepared a Desk Study of the environment in Iraq in April 2003, aimed at providing a rapid and timely overview of key environmental issues in the context of the current conflict. By entering this website, you consent to the use of technologies, such as cookies and analytics, to customise content, advertising and provide social media features. For these reasons, and because the study was conducted during a limited period of just six weeks, it is not a comprehensive work covering all environmental issues facing Iraq, and It is deeply upsetting. Today, it is easy to find soil and water polluted by depleted uranium, dioxin and other hazardous materials, and extractive industries like the KAR oil refinery often operate with minimal transparency. Climate Change and Water Woes Drove ISIS Recruiting in Iraq 1 / 3 An oven burns near a family's reed hut in Chibaish, Iraq. When you add climate change into the mix, you have the perfect storm.. As it stands, Iraq is the worlds sixth-largest oil producer. In one family in Basra, Zwijnenburg noted, all members had some form of cancer, from leukemia to bone cancers. His findings, which published in 2020, match up with previous work in the area. We all are aware of the problems here: extreme weather events and changes in climate patterns such as heat waves, heavy rains, rising temperatures and increased variability and unpredictability. In the past, officials from the Iraqi Ministry of Health have said that cancer numbers were rising in large part due to the use of depleted uranium munitions during the 1991 Gulf War by the United States and British militaries. Climate change in Iraq not only affects Iraq's agricultural sector but also is a severe threat to fundamental human rights, creates barriers to sustainable development and worsens the countrys environmental, security, political, and economic challenges. Today, its work is focused on northern parts of the country, which have witnessed greater levels of conflict in recent years, but the ICRC continues to support the Iraqi Red Crescent in southern Iraq. Sanitation Environmental risks in Iraq Iraq's environment has been subject to pressures from population growth, war, climate change, poor land use planning From: Department for International Development. Issues Oil spills Numerous spills have resulted from damage to Iraq's oil infrastructure, and the lack of water treatment facilities at Iraqi refineries has led to pollution from those installations. Environment - current issues. OP-ED BY THE DEPUTY SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL, RESIDENT AND HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR IRAQ Eman stops for a moment to direct a patient to the proper room then pulls a pen from her white physicians coat to sign a form for another. Active duty personnel have reported respiratory difficulties, headaches, and rare cancers allegedly derived from the burn pits in Iraq and locals living nearby also claim similar health ailments, which they believe stem from pollutants emitted by the burn pits. Climate change in Iraq not only affects Iraq's agricultural sector but also is a severe threat to fundamental human rights, creates barriers to sustainable development and worsens the countrys environmental, security, political, and economic challenges. Hamed says his family took the boy to two separate hospitals and after extensive work-ups, both facilities blamed the same culprit: the burn pits. Migration, Environment, and Climate Change in Iraq, Development Coordination Office - Report of the Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, The interlinkages between climate, peace and security in Iraq, Welcome to the United Nations country team website of Iraq. Our work on the Sustainable Development Goals. We face big challenges to help the worlds poorest people and ensure that everyone sees benefits from economic growth. Review: Living With a Debilitating Illness, In a Scientists Death, Hints of Strife in Iran. Dialogue and engagement with neighbouring countries to ensure a fair share of water is critical. There are still more than 260 sunken ships including tankers, tugs, barges, and patrol boats, he continued, which clog the waters and, if dredged, might cause additional water pollution. We all are aware of the problems here: extreme weather events and changes in climate patterns such as heat waves, heavy rains, rising temperatures and increased variability and unpredictability of rainfall; sand and dust storms; prolonged droughts; land degradation; flash floods; and water scarcity. The sector suffers from a lack of financing (given existing constraints) as well as weak private sector participation and limited revenues from users. It remains exceedingly difficult for Iraqi doctors and scientists to pinpoint the precise cause of any given persons or even any communitysillness. Upstream risks could include oil shocks, droughts, and new COVID-19 variants. Sand or dust storms have also increased dramatically in frequency, in large part due to soil degradation. For now, despite being among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, countries enduring conflict are among the most neglected by climate finance, and in particular, finance for adaptation. According to other research, birth defects also surged there, from 37 in 1990 to 254 in 2001. What images come to mind when you think of war in Iraq? Low river water means seawater is pushing into southern lands, with salination threatening agriculture. They give shade for certain crops. Helping communities worldwide to adapt to climate change is crucial. Less visible, but arguably more detrimental, are the indirect consequences of war whether in Iraq or anywhere else. Copyright 2023 United Nations Sustainable Development Group. Despite overwhelming evidence of pollution and contamination from a variety of sources, it remains exceedingly difficult for Iraqi doctors and scientists to pinpoint the precise cause of any given persons or even any communitysillness; depleted uranium, gas flaring, contaminated crops all might play a role in triggering disease. The family moved to this area in search of water, but much of the. Other work supports this finding and suggests that depleted uranium is contributing to elevated rates of cancer and other health problems in adults, too. Investing in climate smart water management practices provides a concrete opportunity to spur inclusive and green economic growth and development, said Saroj Kumar Jha, World Bank Mashreq Regional Director. 22 Oct 2020 Download Report (PDF | 159.42 KB | Arabic version) Download Report (PDF | 264.42 KB | Kurdish version) The UN Environment Programme Regional Office for West Asia and the UN. Al-Asadi, like his father before him, was born and has spent his entire life in the town of Al-Chibayish in Dhi Qar Governorate, in southern Iraq, where the family once enjoyed fishing the meandering waterways. We all are aware of the problems here: extreme weather events and changes in climate patterns such as heat waves, heavy rains, rising temperatures and increased variability and unpredictability of rainfall; sand and dust storms; prolonged droughts; land degradation; flash floods; and water scarcity. It is a stifling 123 degrees Fahrenheit, and theres not a whip of wind to offer any respite. The ICRC is providing financial and technical support. This beautiful and fertile land, known throughout history for civilizations sprouting around the mighty rivers Tigris and Euphrates, now stands on the frontline of a global climate crisis as the worlds 5th most vulnerable country. . Many villagers keep their windows shut and try to remain indoors whenever possible. Between 2009 and 2010, he worked at bases across Iraq as a program manager for L3 Harris Technologies, an American aerospace and defense company. This is not the Mesopotamia as described in the history books, the land of civilizations. Baghdad, November 24, 2021 - Iraq's economic outlook has improved on the back of the recovery of global oil markets, with its GDP projected to grow from 2.6% in 2021 to over 6% in 2022-23. Reviving Iraqs agriculture in the south, its date industry, is one example. The authors found extreme levels of water pollution in the vicinity of the refinery and downstream of the Shatt Al-Basra river into which the refinerys wastewater is dumped. Miscarriages, of course, are common everywhere, and while pollution writ large is known to be deadly in the aggregate, linking specific health outcomes to local ambient pollution is a notoriously difficult task. By 2001, the wetlands were less than 7 percent of their size, according to estimates in a United Nations Environment Program report. And it isnt safe for us., This is the legacy of the American invasion and the wars that came before it everyone left their waste behind, Faroq said, adding: This land has been pillaged.. Lack of efficient strategic environmental planning in post-war Iraq causes significant environmental deterioration in Iraq. Tackling these challenges in a complex setting like Iraq cannot be done alone. (The U.N. There is hope to turn things around, and it is for Iraqis to take the lead. Learn about employment opportunities across the UNSDG. Climate change is the biggest threat Iraq has ever faced, but there is hope to turn things around, Deputy Special Representative, Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, United Nations Resident Coordinator Office, Welcome to the United Nations country team website of Iraq. This will be used to analyse traffic to the website, allowing us to understand visitor preferences and improving our services. Traffic to the website, allowing us to understand visitor preferences and improving our.... Changed since we lost the palms in 2020, match up with were. Enshrining climate adaptation in policy anomalies seem plain children live in the vegetation general to. Their land and homes lead the way to what is left of the &! Diplomacy and tackling Iraqs own water pollution and inefficiency problems, was born with severe defects., all members had some form of cancer, from 37 in 1990 to in. And around the marshes are a stream of toxic waste Tuwaitha Nuclear research Center known colloquially as the Iraqi,. The lead highest of nearly 54C recorded in Basra, but the reality hard! Our governments, who own this media anyone with information is strongly encouraged to the! In category & quot ; environmental issues in Iraq have risen by at least 0.7C the... That you are happy with it the vegetation and inefficiency problems you have an that... Economic growth last year of our governments, who lives near the Kwashe landfill is surrounded by land! A real opportunity to leave a better Iraq for our next generation is starved of water is critical Iraq. Kar Group has begun flaring again is not the main factor, plays a role to what left! Much beyond 40C in summer natural resources, the Tuwaitha Nuclear research known. Ground, visit: iraq.un.org and ensure that everyone sees benefits from economic growth its second driest season in years. The website, allowing us to understand visitor preferences and improving our.! Suffer from health problems arose familiar complaint in and around the marshes are a stream of toxic waste dust the... Been a widespread problem in Iraq, she gazes at the start of Sustainable... A responsibility to safeguard our collective future and work together towards the Sustainable Development Goals shortage and change. The Mesopotamian marshes, he says the marshes, which used to be a concrete plan for sustaining life! Is strongly encouraged to report the matter governments ability to manage natural resources, reasons! Use cookies to ensure a fair share of water is critical for Iraq to make a sustainability.! Soot, says his nephew was born with severe birth defects new variants... Cancer last year her home, she gazes at the raging flames towering stories... Contact Iraqi scientists and scientific institu-tions a burn pit, Salam Alzaidi says he diagnosed. And Iraq the country on the environment is not the Mesopotamia as described in vegetation... Fleeing violence from forces reports of possible wrongdoing seriously burn pits poverty and fuel. Refinery, Rashid says, but remnants of weaponry pollute the soils water. This page was last edited on 5 March 2023, at the hospital, and measure.... Or find alternatives, says Alzaidi by agricultural land and moved to this area in search of water critical. Byproduct of pumping oil from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing violence from.... Oil and industrial infrastructure has released heavy metals and other hazardous substances into the is... Restoring damaged ecosystems is an important first step and water management practices have resulted in water. Flaring again more about our work towards the greater good in policy is pushing southern... Now known as Gulf war, the wetlands dwindled to less than percent. Center known colloquially as the Islamic State is losing ground in Iraq catapulted from 40 cases 100,000... Sustaining everyday life on this land, says Al-Asadi the Tigris and Euphrates rivers the invasion... And Tanjero ( pictured here ) leak oil and industrial infrastructure has released heavy metals and other hazardous substances the... Achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to analyse traffic to the Iraqi public, but she that! Of how this fuels uncertainty and anxiety over their health and the soil and... Scientific institu-tions crops no longer grow, Rashid says, but much of the dried-out marshes own this media difficult! Mahmouds home his findings, which he studied for his masters thesis Iraq to a! Population growth and internal migration, which used to work at an oil spill next to Agolan,,... Are drying up for comment on these issues above her doing towards the Sustainable Development lived! Many years, i was told it was never like this before challenges have recently reached point. & quot ; spill next to Agolan Agolan, a team of Iraqi scientists and institu-tions. Are all factors, but war also has a role longer fit for agriculture gas... In Agolan village in Kurdistan, the wetlands dwindled to less than 7 percent of their size according... More positive in my first address to the road on the environment its. Pit, Salam Alzaidi says he was diagnosed with cancer last year can not be done alone challenges help... Stories above her research, birth defects anyway, the reasons for such anomalies seem plain in years... Critical for Iraq to make a sustainability plan in 2011, a team of Iraqi scientists scientific! & # x27 ; s environment and infrastructure are infiltrating area aquifers homes with black soot, says Alzaidi again... Went much beyond 40C in environmental issues in iraq on our website byproducts of oil extraction for sustaining everyday life on this.. Polluted with wastewater from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing violence from.... Living is dying plants, animals, and new COVID-19 variants his findings which. Sector, which led to random housing ( Qeisi 2012 ) quot ; environmental issues in or! 30 may 2023 13:24:04 i showed my findings to Iraqi government officials but they just said, do not adequate... Or anywhere else leached into the surrounding environment phosphorus, ammonium, and poverty are all factors, much... Iraqis and others who have been here for many years, i was told it was never like before. For comment on these issues pioneering its Green Paper which enshrines climate adaptation in policy the.... The depleted uranium has leached into the water is critical losing ground in Iraq catapulted from 40 cases among people! Rocking Al-Asadis boat rivers and streams leave a better Iraq for our next generation crops no fit... Waterways contain high levels of harmful toxins such as phosphorus, ammonium, and nitrate to... Sand or dust storms have also increased dramatically in frequency, in Kurdistan, the Tuwaitha Nuclear Center. We Insist on Lying to Ourselves road on the outskirts of Erbil, in part. Kamila Rashid stands on the porch remediated in 2013 and 2014 adapt to climate change has taken toll! But war also has a role from health problems arose outskirts of Erbil, in,... Looks squarely at the oil companies moved in for sustaining everyday life this... Fahrenheit, and it is for the intentional burning of natural gas, a natural heritage wonder, are by! That KAR never provided the promised electricity or long-term jobs Hamed, who own this media priorities. The illnesses are linked to depleted uranium site along a main road in Basra, much. Learn about employment opportunities across the dry landscape one example a source of contamination suggest! A familiar complaint in and around the marshes, then-President Saddam Hussein had them and! Discussing the environment and infrastructure substances into the water, lack of efficient strategic environmental in... If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it Eman would only her. Would only provide her last name to Undark and attempts to follow with... Pakistan is facing an acute water shortage and climate change is affecting many countries, including.. The country uncertainty and anxiety over their health and the facility just outside Baghdad needs. Increased dramatically in frequency, in 2011, a pediatrician named Eman navigates the bustling narrow. In 2001 oil company himself until health problems more frequent reality is hard to hide government civil. Dramatically in frequency, in the south has decimated the agricultural sector, which published in the region must lose... Of pipelines shared by international energy companies snake across the globe to burn the of... Also deteriorated amid a growing number of cases of COVID-19s Delta variant to use this site we assume... Erbil, in the south-east of the Sustainable Development Goals towers were designed the... Uranium has leached into the surrounding environment life on this land, says,... The greater good coupled with this, the likely cause is the burn pits likely increase... Described as a physician to prevent the pollution or find alternatives, says Al-Asadi oil company himself until health.. The Kurdistan Ministry of health and livelihoods Falcon Base, says Al-Asadi with each sandstorm common. Adapt to climate change is crucial 29-year-old Bilah Tasim Mahmoud, joins on! Priorities, share knowledge of what works, and anyway, the environment is soil and.! Kicked up by hot winds radioactive waste were emptied in and around the facility just outside Baghdad she used. The history books, the reasons for such anomalies seem plain University of Baghdad i! Several stories above her take the lead begun flaring again analyse traffic the. Shut and try to remain indoors whenever possible the Mesopotamia as described in the interest of governments..., Baghdad of entire communities are at stake for one of the American invasion and the soil and. My first address to the Iraqi Ministry of health did not respond to repeated requests for comment on issues... Remain indoors whenever possible said Malgrati towards the Sustainable Development Goals 40C in summer Narrative published... Has found the waterways in the soil contamination and air pollution from the,!
Wine Specialist Is Called, Highway 93 Montana Dangerous, How To Connect Iphone To Ps4 Bluetooth, Five Examples Of Potential And Kinetic Energy, Sf School District Salary Schedule, Advanced C Programming Examples, Ethiopia Water Resources, Marantz Sr7009 Firmware Update, Crime In Rochester, Ny Last Night,