ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq plans to unveil a national strategy to tackle climate change next year. This move comes as the country grapples with severe drought and ranks among the most vulnerable nations in the world to climate impacts.
According to the UN, by 2040, Iraq will join 65 other countries facing extreme climate challenges. It currently ranks fifth for vulnerability, with many residents already displaced due to harsh weather conditions.
Najla Mohsen al-Waeli, head of the environment ministry’s technical department, emphasized that this plan is part of Iraq’s commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement aims to limit global temperature rise to below two degrees Celsius. Iraq signed on in 2016, ratifying it in 2021 after the defeat of ISIS and the pandemic.
The government hopes the new plan will help identify necessary programs and projects needing international assistance. This includes estimating the financial and technical support required to strengthen the country’s capacity to adapt.
A recent World Bank report highlighted the urgency of Iraq’s climate crisis, stating that a fresh development model focused on environmental protection is crucial. The bank warned that if no action is taken, one in five Iraqis may be affected by climate-related migration by the decade’s end. The report also indicated that Iraq will need approximately $233 billion in climate investments by 2040, which is about six percent of its annual GDP.
Work on the National Adaptation Plan began in July 2020 but encountered delays due to COVID-19 and financial limitations faced by international organizations, according to Waeli. This plan evaluates 13 key sectors sensitive to climate change, including agriculture, water resources, health, and renewable energy. It also looks at climate risks like sea-level rise and vulnerabilities affecting marginalized groups.
Moreover, over 100,000 people have already been displaced in Iraq due to ongoing drought, especially in the southern regions. As the climate crisis escalates, understanding and addressing these issues has never been more critical.
