Iraqi PM launches major afforestation initiative
The Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani during Iraq Climate Conference. Photo: Prime Minister’s press office
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, announced on Sunday the launch of a major afforestation initiative, which includes planting five million trees in different Iraqi governorates.
Al-Sudani’s statement took place during a speech he delivered in the opening of the Iraq Climate Conference hosted by the city of Basra, with international, regional and governmental participation.
The afforestation initiative will be accompanied, for the first time in Iraq, by the launch of a national guide for urban afforestation.
Al-Sudani also warned of the dangers of unilateral control of water in the upstream countries, stressing that this procedure weakens the ability of countries to face of the effects of climate change, according to a statement issued by Prime Minister’s press office.
Al-Sudani indicated that the climate change threatens food, health, environmental and community security, adding that these threats are represented in the high temperatures, scarcity of rain, and an increase in dust storms, with a lack of green spaces.
The Iraqi Prime Minister stressed that the Iraqi government is prioritizing the confrontation of the effects of climate change through several projects that contribute to emissions reduction.
These projects include the establishment of renewable energy stations, and the rehabilitation of sanitary landfills, in addition to setting up projects to combat desertification and to adopt water-regulated irrigation techniques.
Al-Sudani pointed out that Iraq is signing contracts to establish renewable energy power stations, to cover a third of Iraq’s electricity needs by 2030.
Last January, the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity concluded an agreement with the German company, Siemens, to use the associated gas in generating electricity.