Baghdad: The Ministry of Environment confirmed that it has prepared a strategic plan to confront climate change, and revealed Iraq's orientation towards investing in environmental projects. The Minister of Environment, Halo Mustafa Al-Askari, said during a dialogue session within the activities of the second day of the Iraq Energy Conference 2025, today, Wednesday, in Baghdad, that "there are challenges facing the work of the ministry, such as legal legislation, and we are in the process of updating and amending some of it," noting that "the law on protecting and improving the environment has been read for the first time in the House of Representatives, and the second reading will soon be done in preparation for its approval."
According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Ministry of Environment is positioning itself as a supervisory body rather than an executive one, aiming to serve as a window for diversifying Iraq's economy, including transitioning to a green economy. Al-Askari highlighted that Iraq is moving towards investing in environmental projects. The Council of Ministers has decided to establish a factory to convert waste into energy, and a project to establish the Carbon Economics Company is underway, marking it as the first of its kind in Iraq with its headquarters in Baghdad. This initiative is part of a broader package of projects aimed at improving the environment, including the Zero Flame project to invest in gas by 2028.
Al-Askari emphasized the significance of separating the Ministry of Health from the Ministry of Environment, viewing it as a crucial decision that will elevate the status of the environment as an independent ministry. This separation aligns with international standards where environment ministries play a pivotal role in developed countries.
On the issue of pollution, the Minister acknowledged the presence of notable pollution in Baghdad but pointed out the ongoing environmental efforts guided by the Prime Minister's directives to relevant ministries and authorities. He noted a recent project by the Ministry of Electricity to convert waste into energy, with a capacity of about three thousand tons of waste, and plans to transform the Rashid Camp area from a landfill into a public park, thereby contributing to improving Baghdad's environmental situation.
Addressing water pollution, Al-Askari mentioned that while there are stations to monitor river pollution, the necessary personnel and technological resources are lacking. He explained that both natural and human activities contribute to climate change, but assured that a plan and strategy to confront these changes will be launched in about two weeks, in collaboration with relevant authorities.