[ad_1]
Report: Climate change threatens Iraq’s stability and security, civilians at risk
Erbil. July 6, 2022 – Climate change threatens Iraq’s stability and could lead to the outbreak of future conflicts in the country, according to a new report by the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC).
“Through this research, it is more evident than ever that to ensure stability and prevent the outbreak of future conflicts, the Iraqi government, security actors and international partners must consider the threat multiplier of climate change in policy and practice ” notes Jordan Lesser-Roy, CIVIC researcher and author of the report “If I Leave…I Can’t Breathe”: Climate Change and Civil Defense in Iraq.
During this research, CIVIC focused primarily on the lived experience of communities in Basra and Nineveh governorates, who rely heavily on pastoral and agricultural activities. Both provinces also depend on river water from the Euphrates and Tigris as well as rainwater to sustain their livelihoods and for basic needs such as electricity. Water has become a scarce and contested resource in Iraq as a result of climate change and environmental degradation.
CIVIC found that climate change, combined with environmental degradation due to human behavior, directly affects critical issues such as resource scarcity, pollution, loss of livelihoods and internal migration. If not addressed, these critical issues will have a dramatic impact on the country’s stability and security, as well as the future of the younger generations. The author notes that some farming families have married off their underage daughters to reduce the financial burden, some have withdrawn their children from school to send them to work, while some youths have found economic opportunities in the drug trade and informal security groups . A farmer in Nineveh’s Ba’aj district interviewed by CIVIC estimated that half of the young people in his area now work in the drug trade or use drugs and alcohol.
In addition, six armed conflicts fought on Iraqi soil in the last 5 decades have left serious environmental scars and damage with the destruction of agricultural and pasture lands, deforestation and soil and water pollution from chemicals released by explosive weapons. The significant presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other remnants of war littering Iraq’s countryside and urban centers has tainted prime arable land across the country, forcing some farmers to abandon their lands, adopt harmful coping strategies, or migrate to urban centers. The Government of Iraq and international NGOs have made some progress in demining populated areas, but it remains insufficient. In rural or “less visible” areas, the removal of the ordinance has been slow and ad hoc, the report noted.
A lack of faith in government colored most of CIVIC’s interviews during this research process. Not only did civilians feel that the government and security actors were unable to protect them, many farmers and former farmers felt that the government had abandoned them in favor of the oil industry.
“Distrust of the authorities has always been exploited by extremist groups and political actors in Iraq, as well as by international forces seeking to gain control in the country,” warns Lesser-Roy. “There is still a danger that history will repeat itself if action is not taken to bring authorities and civilians together.”
In seeking to address potential conflicts that may arise due to climate change and environmental degradation in Iraq, CIVIC formulated five general recommendations. Among them, CIVIC calls on the Iraqi government to continue its negotiations with Iran and Turkey to ensure uninterrupted river flow from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers to prevent the outbreak of international conflicts over resources. The organization also recommends that local governments and community leaders be provided with education and resources about the dangers of climate change. It also calls on the Iraqi government, as well as international partners, to accelerate demining and expand demining efforts to rural and “less visible” areas.
**Regarding CIVIC: **
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) is an international organization dedicated to promoting the protection of civilians in conflict. CIVIC envisions a world where no civilian is harmed in conflict. Our mission is to support conflict-affected communities in their quest for protection and to strengthen the resolve and capacity of armed actors to prevent and respond to civilian harm. CIVIC was founded in 2003 by Marla Ruzicka, a young humanitarian advocating on behalf of civilians affected by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, CIVIC has a presence in conflict zones and key capitals around the world.
In Iraq, CIVIC focuses its work on four areas: advocacy, community protection, training and research. We collaborate with civilian leaders, security actors and government ministries to improve defense outcomes and increase trust between civilians and security actors across the country.
Notes to editors:
· In 2019, the UN identified Iraq as the fifth most vulnerable country in the world to climate change.
· It is estimated that by 2050, temperatures will rise by 2 degrees Celsius and rainfall will decrease by 9% in Iraq.
· It is estimated that 90% of Iraq’s swamps have dried up
· The number of vital date palms has declined from a one-time peak of 33 million to just 9 million in 2021.
· As of 2017, agriculture and farming supported 25% of Iraqi families
· The Tigris and Euphrates are expected to reduce their outflow by 50% by 2030 compared to 1980 levels.
· Tigris and Euphrates account for 98% of Iraq’s water supply used for drinking, sanitation and irrigation
· The rivers do not originate in Iraq and are regulated by neighboring Iran and Turkey
· Iraqis increasingly refer to feelings of diminished personal security, with one activist telling CIVIC that she “car[ries] around a personal gun for [her] security; every year the security situation worsens.”
· There are estimated to be over one million unregistered weapons in Iraq, due in part to the arming of civilians by non-state armed groups and the rapid growth of the drug trade in insecure areas.
· Military tactics such as “scorched earth” led to massive deforestation in Iraq and created prime training and hiding places for extremist actors.
· In 2021, Iraq ratified the Paris Agreement and initiated a National Adaptation Plan with the United Nations Environment Program to increase resilience to climate change.
For more information and media inquiries, please contact:
In Erbil:
Jordan Lesserroy, Researcher: jlesserroy@civiliansinconflict.org, +1.914.629.6172 (WhatsApp)
Helen Baker, Communications Officer: hbaker@civiliansinconflict.org, +964.75.07.322.214
In The Hague:
Hajer Naili, Director of Communications: hnaili@civiliansinconflict.org, +33.6.03.50.53.93/ +1.917.889.5982 (WhatsApp)
[ad_2]
Source link