National Strategy for the Protection and Improvement of the Environment in Iraq

The Summary
This document represents the national strategy for protecting and improving the environment in Iraq and the basic pillar through which the Ministry of Environment tackles environmental issues within the national development policy frameworks. The Ministry has- up to the present time- developed several legislative frameworks, including laws and regulations for environmental protection and climate change, among others.

The National Strategy for Environment Protection and Improvement document was prepared based on an assessment of the current state of the environment according to scientific reports and published data from different sectors.

The Republic of Iraq has always faced environmental risks, pressures, and challenges, such as population growth-- which has led to increased pressure on the natural environment-- unsustainable use of natural resources, the construction of dams, and measures to divert waterways by neighboring countries, which has led to a decline in the level of water resources and a negative effect on the environment. Neglecting environmental dimensions during the planning and implementation stages of development projects led to multiple environmental problems. These encompass not taking the necessary measures, enacting regulations and legislation, reorganizing the exploitation of land, water, and natural resources, and preventing harmful practices that impose pressure on environmental elements-- such as grazing, poaching, cutting trees, and hunting wild animals-- in addition to not regulating irrigation to stop the encroachment, and legalizing irrigation to stop this harmful encroachment of millions of tons has led to an increase in the area of desertified lands or those threatened by desertification.

Iraq seeks to continue developing environmental protection capabilities by reducing pressures on different social, development, and environmental systems, by implementing comprehensive protection measures considering gender aspects. Therefore, this national strategy has been developed to integrate environmental protection measures within all the relevant sectors in Iraq. The process of preparing the national strategy followed a set of steps that aimed at ensuring the effective participation of different institutions and experts under the leadership of the Ministry of Environment as the national authority responsible for environmental protection in Iraq, where it coordinates national efforts in terms of policies, legislation, and implementation of measures and procedures related to environmental protection at the national level.

The strategy addressed the strategic framework: vision, mission, core values, and five strategic programs that include all technical and environmental dimensions and good governance of environmental activity.