Iraqi PM inspects Baghdad Forest Project: 500,000 tons of waste removed
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani conducted a field visit on Saturday to the Baghdad Sustainable Forest Project, revealing that half a million tons of waste have already been removed from the site.
Launched in December, the initiative aims to transform more than 12 million square meters of the former al-Rasheed Military Camp into a sprawling ecological and recreational zone. Planned features include an artificial lake, green spaces, walking paths, sports facilities, restaurants, wellness centers, and a hotel, according to a statement from al-Sudani's media office.
During the visit, al-Sudani ordered full soil decontamination and the removal of encroachments and industrial activity, while urging authorities to provide resettlement options for displaced families.
More than 500,000 tons of accumulated waste have already been cleared—a step the prime minister described as vital to easing congestion and improving Baghdad's air quality.
The project comes amid growing alarm over Iraq's declining green cover. Environmental studies show vegetation has dropped from nearly 50% in the past decades to just 17% today, with forests covering less than 2% of the country's land.
Rapid urbanization, climate change, and years of weak enforcement have driven widespread desertification and farmland loss.
Experts say projects like the Baghdad Forest are critical to restoring Iraq's ecological balance —and provide much-needed environmental and social relief in densely populated areas.
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