Shafaq News- Erbil

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) launched the “Environmental Media Charter” on Tuesday, bringing together journalists, environmental organizations, and media outlets to strengthen reporting and public engagement on environmental challenges.

Marouf Majid, head of the Ayinda Organization for Environmental Protection, said at the launch ceremony that the KRI faces mounting pressures from climate change, drought, neglect, and industrial waste, as well as threats to natural resources and wildlife.

“Media institutions play an active role in shaping and directing public awareness,” Majid noted, presenting the charter as “a joint professional and ethical commitment” by the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate, Ayinda, and participating outlets.

The six-article charter designates the environment as a “national priority,” calling for sustained reporting rather than occasional coverage, as well as sufficient airtime to inform the public about environmental issues.

Ayinda warned this month that unregulated refineries, vehicle emissions, private generators, waste burning, and shrinking green spaces were worsening air quality across the KRI. It identified 138 unregulated refineries, more than 2.4 million registered vehicles, and around 7,000 private generators among the main pollution sources.

Read more: Kurdistan’s forests under threat: War, climate, and efforts to rebuild