Baghdad: The Iraqi Green Observatory has disclosed that over the past thirty years, Iraq has been plagued by 15 distinct types of environmental, climatic, and human-made disasters. These adversities have significantly affected the country's natural resources and ecosystems, leading to a decline in agricultural production and intensified stress on water resources.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Observatory highlighted that recent national data reveals a looming threat of desertification over approximately 55.5% of Iraq's land. Meanwhile, about 23.2% of the land is already degraded, underscoring the extensive environmental challenges faced by the nation.

The Observatory further reported a noticeable rise in dust storms and the number of dusty days, coupled with a reduction in green spaces and increased soil degradation due to salinization and erosion. These factors are among the key climatic and environmental disasters confronting Iraq today.

Prominent issues identified include desertification, land degradation, droughts from reduced river water inflows, dust storms, extreme heat waves, and seasonal floods due to climate fluctuations and elevated river levels. Soil and water disasters such as soil salinization, deteriorating water quality, and the drying of marshes are also significant concerns. Human-made disasters, including the environmental impacts of wars, conflicts, and pollution, further exacerbate these issues.

The Observatory also pointed out health and social disasters, including heightened risks of waterborne diseases, compromised water and sanitation services, internal displacement due to drought, food insecurity from reduced local production, and biodiversity loss from orchard fires.

In light of these ongoing disasters, the Observatory calls for urgent measures. It advocates for declaring a climate emergency, implementing a national plan against desertification, initiating a national afforestation project, and rehabilitating green belts. Additionally, it suggests modernizing irrigation and drainage systems to combat salinization and regulate water use. The formation of a high-level national committee, involving experts and stakeholders, to mitigate disaster risks is also recommended.