The Prime Minister of Iraq, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Sunday announced a plan to plant five million palms and trees in an effort to combat the severe impacts of climate change on the water-scarce country.
Addressing a climate conference, Sudani noted that more than seven million Iraqis had already been affected by climate change and hundreds of thousands displaced by drought.
He cited challenges including “high temperatures, scarcity of rain and an increase in dust storms” as well as shrinking green spaces, which all “threaten food, health, environmental and community security”.
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The Prime Minister said his administration was launching “a grand afforestation initiative, which includes planting five million trees and palm trees in all governorates of Iraq”.
Speaking at a conference in the southern city of Basra attended by foreign ambassadors and UN officials, Sudani said the government was working on a wider “Iraqi vision for climate action.”
Without announcing details on funding or timeframes, he said the plan would include promoting clean and renewable energy, new irrigation and water treatment projects and reduced industrial gas flaring.
Story was adapted from The Guardian
