Kurdistan Region sees five percent rise in greenery: Official
Kurdish leaders commemorate Barzan Anfal on 42nd anniversary
Erbil authorities to plant 5,000 orange saplings
KRG says will take responsibility for compensating oil companies
President Barzani, UK military delegation discuss drone attacks on Kurdistan
A+ A-
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The green coverage rate in the Kurdistan Region has increased by five percent over the past five years, the Erbil parks engineering department said on Wednesday, stressing the rise reflects greater government focus on tackling climate change.
Sarwar Waysi, head of Erbil's parks engineering department, told Rudaw on Wednesday that, based on a directive from the municipalities and tourism ministry, and in coordination with the Aynda Organization for Environmental Protection, they carried out a comprehensive assessment of the Region's total green coverage. 'It was revealed that in the period of five years, it has reached more than 20 percent,' he said.
A previous survey conducted in 2015 showed the overall green coverage in the Kurdistan Region was 12.44 percent.
In Erbil, green coverage has grown from 9.1 percent in 2015 to 19.8 percent. Sulaimani province has increased its coverage from 9.1 to 19.6 percent, with 13 square meters of green space per person. Duhok now stands at 27 percent, up from 12 percent in 2015, and Halabja's rate has increased from ten percent to over 15 percent.
Erbil's parks department also plans to establish a large green belt around the capital, planting millions of pistachio and olive trees, according to Waysi.
The efforts come as Erbil struggles with one of the highest levels of air pollution in Iraq, driven by smoke from power generators, heavy car emissions using low-quality fuel, and frequent dust storms.
Iraq is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, with poor water resource management and dam construction in neighboring countries contributing to dwindling river flows.
Solin Hamdamin contributed to this article.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rudaw Net
7 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
Suspected ISIS attack injures three Asayish in east Syria
A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least three members of the Kurdish-led internal security forces (Asayish) were injured in a suspected Islamic State (ISIS) attack in Syria's eastern Deir ez-Zor province, the Asayish said on Tuesday. 'A terrorist group riding a motorcycle targeted a vehicle belonging to our forces in the town of Abriha in Deir ez-Zor province using a Kalashnikov assault rifle. Three members of our forces sustained various injuries,' the Asayish said in a statement. ISIS has exploited a security vacuum following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December. The jihadists are particularly active in Deir ez-Zor, where they frequently target the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and local security forces. The Asayish asserted that 'extensive combing operations' were launched in the area after the attack in search of the assailants. 'Such terrorist attacks will not deter us from pursuing anyone who dares to threaten the security of our regions,' the statement added. The Kurdish-led SDF, the de facto army of northeast Syria (Rojava), has carried out numerous operations this year to counter what they say is a resurgence in ISIS activity, targeting both their forces and civilians. ISIS rose to power and seized swathes of Iraqi and Syrian land in a brazen offensive in 2014, declaring a so-called 'caliphate.' The SDF defeated the group in Syria in 2019 with the help of the US-led global coalition against ISIS.
Rudaw Net
7 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
US affirms support for SDF-Damascus integration talks
Also in World Damascus-SDF talks to resume in Paris with Trump administration support: Congressman EU remembers Yazidi 'tragedy,' urges action to support return of displaced Yazidis in Germany fear deportation to Iraq Exile and expression: Yazidi artists find voice in Germany WASHINGTON DC - The United States on Tuesday reaffirmed its support for dialogue between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria (Rojava), aimed at integrating the Kurdish-led forces into the Syrian military. The statement comes ahead of anticipated talks between SDF chief Mazloum Abdi and representatives of the Syrian interim government in Paris. In response to a question from Rudaw about the SDF-Damascus talks, the US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, 'We continue to support dialogue between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces aimed at integrating the SDF into the Syrian military.' 'We welcome all productive meetings between the SDF and [Syrian interim] President [Ahmed] al-Sharaa,' Bruce added, emphasizing that 'we also support the SDF's intent to transform the current ceasefire in northeast Syria [Rojava] into a comprehensive and lasting peace.' She also highlighted the ongoing diplomatic efforts of US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, who is working to 'engage all parties and ensure security and calm for all Syrians.' The SDF, which serves as the de facto military force in Rojava, played a pivotal role in the defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2019 and continues to hold thousands of ISIS fighters in detention. On March 10, Syria's interim President Sharaa and SDF chief Abdi signed an agreement to integrate all civil and military institutions in Rojava - including the Kurdish-led forces - under the authority of the Syrian state. However, implementation talks remain ongoing, as diverging views on the integration process pose a key challenge. While the SDF seeks to enter the Syrian army as a unified entity, Damascus prefers to incorporate SDF fighters individually into its existing military units. Qutaiba Idlbi, director of American affairs at Syria's foreign ministry, confirmed to Rudaw on Wednesday that the two parties are set to meet 'soon' in Paris to finalize the terms of integration. Bruce's comments follow a Sunday video call between US Congressman Abe Hamadeh and SDF Commander Abdi. In a statement on X, the Republican lawmaker's office cited him as praising the Kurdish-led forces as a key ally of the US, stressing that the SDF-Damascus talks 'will resume in Paris with the [Donald] Trump Administration support.' The SDF is a 'key part of Syria's future,' Hamadeh underlined, adding that 'for over a decade, it has protected the northeast third of Syria, and established a decentralized model that protects Christians, Arabs, Kurds, and others.' For her part, Bruce on Tuesday reiterated the Syrian interim government's responsibility to 'move the country toward peace and prosperity,' noting that 'a comprehensive, inclusive government' is the best path forward for Syria.
Rudaw Net
8 hours ago
- Rudaw Net
Iraq faces 'extremely dangerous' drought amid Turkey's water cuts: MP
Also in Iraq Iraq car market sees 75 percent spike in Chinese imports: Expert Lawmakers reject US intervention in PMF bill Hezbollah censures Iraqi PM over deadly Baghdad clashes Iraq's reputation at 'risk' if PMF law passes: Former US diplomat A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq is in an 'extremely dangerous' state due to water scarcity, a lawmaker warned Tuesday, blaming Turkey for backtracking on its promise to release more water and citing a broader crisis driven by upstream dams and climate change. Thaer al-Jabouri, a member of the Iraqi parliament's agriculture, irrigation, and marshlands committee, told Rudaw that the country is going through an 'extremely dangerous' situation in terms of drought and water scarcity. He attributed part of the water shortage to Turkey, saying that Ankara 'has not committed to releasing Iraq's water share. It has regretted the decision to release more water to Iraq. The increase in water lasted only a few days and then returned to the same previous situation.' In early July, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani ordered the monitoring of water flows from Turkey, after a meeting between parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to an Iraqi parliament statement at the time, Erdogan approved Mashhadani's 'request to release 420 cubic meters of water per second daily." On Saturday, Ahmed Dubardani, a member of the Nineveh Provincial Council's agriculture and water committee, blamed a massive drop in water levels at Iraq's largest dam, Mosul Dam in northern Iraq's Nineveh province, on a dry winter and reduced releases from Turkey. 'The reduced water releases from Turkey is the main reason,' he told Rudaw, explaining that while the rate should be 600 cubic meters per second from the Tigris River, it is only releasing 100. Iraq is facing a severe water shortage because of reduced precipitation, higher temperatures, mismanagement, and upstream dams in neighboring countries. It ranks fifth among the most vulnerable countries in the world to the effects of climate change, according to the United Nations. Iraq does not have a comprehensive water-sharing agreement with Turkey and Iran, and this, combined with a drier winter this year, has made the situation more critical. 'The year 2025, due to the continued decrease of incoming water from neighboring countries, especially Turkey, will be one of the most difficult years that Iraq will go through,' Aoun Diab Abdullah, Iraq's water resources minister, Iraqi state media. He said that Turkey's dams on the Euphrates River for electricity generation have caused a reduction in incoming water to Syria and Iraq. According to the minister, the amount of water released from Turkey to the Syrian border is currently about 350 cubic meters per second, but the amount that actually reaches the Haditha Dam - located about 200 kilometers northwest of Baghdad - decreases to less than 200 cubic meters per second. The World Resources Institute places Iraq among 25 countries that face extreme water stress, meaning it is using over 80 percent of its available water supply and is at risk of running out of water in the event of a short-term drought. Water scarcity in Iraq is also pushing families in severely drought-struck regions to the brink. In late July, Migration and Displaced Ministry spokesperson Ali Abbas told Rudaw that over 17,000 families have migrated from the Basra, Dhi Qar, and Maysan provinces in the past decade due to 'drought, water scarcity, and desertification.' Public pressure is also growing. Southern provinces like Basra have seen widespread protests in recent months over severe water shortages and pollution. Nahro Mohammed contributed to this report.
