Iraq to address population growth, climate change challenges amid urban expansion

Shafaq News/ Iraq's Minister of Planning, Mohammad Ali Tamim, on Sunday said that Iraq is witnessing continuous population growth, with urban areas experiencing significant expansion at the expense of rural counterparts.

Those remarks were made during a speech he delivered at the "Iraq and Climate Change Initiative" conference hosted by the European Union mission in Iraq.

In his address, the minister stated that the government has been actively formulating "policies and decisions to address climate change and establish genuine partnerships across various sectors" in a bid to "ensure sustainable economic growth, secure food and water resources, and transition towards the use of clean and renewable energy sources."

Dr. Tamim shed light on Iraq's substantial population growth, which has led to the considerable expansion of urban areas.

"Currently, 70% of Iraq's population resides in cities, while 30% lives in rural areas," he said, "comprehensive plans have been developed to manage land usage efficiently, establish energy efficiency standards, and construct sustainable cities."

The minister explained that Iraq's recently announced residential cities take environmental protection and climate change mitigation into account, aligning with the country's efforts to tackle environmental challenges.