Conferences
Climate Change and Security - Iraq
Initiative by Sanad
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Baghdad, Iraqi Parliament Main Building
21 May 2023
Sanad Vision for
Sustainable Natural Resources in Iraq
Climate change is causing a rise in the temperature, reducing rainfall, burdening the water-scarce region, fuelling desertification, depleting our water resources, deteriorating agriculture, and worsening the state of the economy. Moreover, Iraq is turning into a water-stressed region. The prolonged drought seasons and the increased evaporation rates due to the rise of the temperature are aggravating the water resources challenges. In addition to the conflicts with the riparian countries over the shares of the water resources. All while considering the ill-management and over-subsidization of those resources and wasteful consumption of the agriculture sector and domestic use. Water scarcity, in return, reflects immensely on the agriculture sector.
Climate change and Water security
Climate change has drastic effects that reduced soil moisture and river flows, and increased the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as long droughts or floods. Moreover, the temperatures increase and the rapid population growth will tangle the challenges severely, where population growth in Iraq is expected to reach ~50 million by 2030 and ~70 million by 2050.
Climate Change and Agri-Food security
With rapid uncontrolled population growth, climate change impacts and controlling the water resources by riparian countries, water shortage is expected to reach ~ 50% in the next couple of decades, which will result in a dwindling agriculture sector, food insecurity, socioeconomic, and national security challenges that will soon emerge.
Climate Change and Agri-Food security
Every year, climate change disasters lead to massive economic and ecological damage, which directly affect people’s livelihood. The direct estimated economic loss is around US$ 1.3 trillion which represents 0.2% of world GDP on average, per year. The reliance of Iraq on oil and the lack of private-sector participation weakened the national economy.
Climate Change and National security
Tribal disputes over water are increasing dramatically and may make up 10% of all ongoing conflicts. Many studies assumed to be gown and subject to grow if more drought is faced in the future, triggering conflict between the central government and provincial authorities, and escalating the water conflict between Iraq and the riparian countries in the Euphrates-Tigris basins.
