Human Rights official calls for Climate Strategy in Iraq

Shafaq News / Former member of the Human Rights Commission, Fadel Al-Gharawi, identified three reasons on Sunday that he says worsened the effects of drought and global warming in Iraq.

In a statement to the Shafaq News Agency, Al-Gharawi explained that "rising temperatures, increasing sandstorms, and poor water management have exacerbated the effects of drought and global warming in Iraq."

Al-Gharawi added that "Iraq is among the top five countries most affected by global warming and climate change," noting that "Iraq relies on the oil industry at a time when global activity around climate change is increasing, and there is a move away from fossil fuels."

He continued, stating that "increased oil production raises concerns about the burning of gas in oil extraction operations, which has led to deteriorating health conditions for people living around gas-burning sites, in addition to an increase in cancer rates and pollution levels."

Al-Gharawi called on the government to "launch a climate strategy capable of addressing global warming, prioritize water management, establish the Green Wall of Iraq, and consider the climate file as a sovereign issue."