Iraq and UNDP launch Human Resilience and Biodiversity Project in Mesopotamian Marshes

Shafaq News/ Iraq's Ministry of Water Resources and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq, signed the Human Resilience and Biodiversity Project in the Mesopotamian Marshes (Al-Ahwar) on Thursday.

Aoun Diab Abdullah, the Iraqi Minister of Water Resources, and Auke Lootsma, the Resident Representative for the UNDP Iraq office, signed the agreement that aims "to combat climate change effects, mitigate water scarcity impacts, enhance local communities' resilience to climate change, address biodiversity degradation causes, restore wildlife, and empower women for mutual benefits, including poverty reduction and social cohesion strengthening."

According to the United Nations, Iraq faces severe climate change repercussions, ranking fifth globally in terms of affected countries. The nation has grappled with a critical water crisis since 2020, exacerbated by reduced rainfall and conflicts over water resources with upstream nations Turkiye, Iran, and Syria.

In 2023, the country witnessed unprecedented drops in water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, leading to the complete drying of riverbeds in some areas.

Water treatment plants struggled to access sufficient water for purification, drastically dropping levels, and southern marshes transformed into arid lands.

Dams, lakes, and reservoirs also experienced reductions.