Environmental Recovery And Peace-Building In Iraq
By Marianne de Nazareth
28 January, 2014
Countercurrents.org
The pictures are so vivid of Diana, Princess of Wales who was a prominent supporter of The International Campaign to Ban Landmines. Absolutely heart tugging pictures of the beautiful Princess sitting with a number of victims who had lost a limb, clustered around her. The pictures bring home to us the brutality of war. The horror of unsuspecting victims who would have a limb blown off when their foot has triggered an old land- mine left behind after a war, by stepping on it.
“Warfare is inherently destructive of sustainable development. States shall therefore respect international law providing protection for the environment in times of armed conflict and cooperate in its further development, as necessary.” – 1992 Rio Declaration
The destructive use of weapons, the raizing to the ground of structures and oil fields, fires, military transport movements and chemical spraying are all examples of the destroying impact war may have on the environment. Air, water and soil are polluted, man and animal are killed, and numerous health effects occur among those living in the area.
Aside from the infrastructural damage and civilian suffering and death which is caused by the term "collateral damage," all wars have disastrous environmental effects. The extent of environmental damage depends on a war's duration, the weapons used, and the type of terrain and ecosystems in which it takes place.
In an effort to set in motion robust action to restore Iraq’s fast deteriorating environment, the Government of Iraq has signed a landmark agreement with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that aims to speed up recovery and support peace-building.
Iraq’s environment has suffered severe decline in recent years, and this has been exacerbated by decades of war and growing pressures on natural resources. According to a new government study - backed by UN and World Bank data- 5 to 8 per cent of Iraq’s GDP is lost annually to environmental degradation. At the same time, 39 per cent of Iraq’s agricultural land suffered a reduction in cropland between 2007 and 2009. Meanwhile food insecurity is another massive issue which is rising rapidly.
The report warns that the quality and quantity of the country’s water has been impacted by upstream damming, pollution, climate change and inefficient usage. The amount of water available per person per year decreased from 5,900 cubic metres to 2,400 cubic metres between 1977 and 2009. This decrease in water supplies has been exacerbated by drought from 2005 and 2009. Infact scientists warn that the Tigris and the Euphrates, Iraq’s two major surface water sources, may dry up by 2040 if current conditions prevail.
“Achieving sustainable development is by no means a light undertaking, especially after decades of wars, sanctions and environmental degradation. Rebuilding Iraq’s environmental infrastructure underpins the country’s recovery and peace-building efforts.” said Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, on his first-ever visit to Iraq recently.
“The commitment of the Government to achieve environmental sustainability is clearly articulated in the vision, goals and objectives of the National Development Plan, which places the Green Economy at the heart of development and economic policies,” he added.
The new five-year Strategic Cooperation Agreement with UNEP will strengthen efforts to overcome many of Iraq’s environmental challenges. Iraqi Minister of Environment Eng. Sargon Lazar Slewa, said, " The Government of Iraq is committed to moving ahead with plans to restore the environment as part of our National Development Plan. The visit by Mr. Steiner and the signing of the cooperation agreement will expedite and further strengthen this process. The well-being, security and livelihoods of Iraqi's are dependent on our success."
Areas of cooperation defined by the agreement will focus on: Environmental legislation and regulations; biodiversity conservation; green economy; cleaner production; resource efficiency; combating dust storms; and climate change reporting, mitigation and adaptation.
UNEP has worked with the Iraqi Government on multiple projects, including: rapid post-conflict environmental assessments; environmental clean-up of highly contaminated sites; and the restoration of the Mesopotamian Marshlands.
Facts and Figures from the report:
• Around 31 per cent of Iraq’s surface is desert. At the same time, 39 per cent of the country’s surface is estimated to have been affected by desertification, with an additional 54 per cent under threat.
• As a result of declining soil moisture and lack of vegetative cover, recent years have witnessed an increase in the frequency of vast dust and sand storms, often originating in the western parts of Iraq.
• Population growth is adding mounting pressure to existing food, water and energy resources.
• By 2030, the population is expected to grow to almost 50 million people, exacerbating these pressures even further.
• Sustainable access to safe water and sanitation remain a challenge: 83 per cent of Iraq’s wastewater is left untreated, contributing to the pollution of Iraq’s waterways and general environment;
• Years of conflict and violence resulted in chemical pollution and unexploded ordnances, which is affecting the safety and lives of an estimated 1.6 million Iraqis.
Organizations like UNEP step in and help to bring salvation to the areas affected by war. That is the only way the environment can get a boost to recover and become sustainable again for the survivors who have been left to tell the tale.
Marianne de Nazareth is a freelance Science and Environment Journalist and adjunct faculty St. Joseph’s PG College of Media Studies, Bangalore, India
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