Local
In a strategic move to address escalating environmental challenges, Iraq's Ministry of Environment declared an environmental state of emergency across the country on Thursday. This signals the launch of a comprehensive national initiative to combat pollution sources, marking a new vision to shift the environmental file from mere monitoring and diagnosis to effective response and radical problem-solving. To bolster these efforts, the Ministry unveiled an advanced platform for monitoring and responding to environmental reports, urging all governmental entities to unite. Minister of Environment, Sarwa Abdel Wahed, affirmed that Iraq's environmental situation has reached a stage necessitating exceptional measures. She noted the next phase will focus on collecting precise data to identify pollution's scope, locations, sources, and responsible parties, aiming for targeted treatments of root causes, rather than just addressing visible outcomes. The Minister also emphasized that environmental protection is a shared national responsibility, requiring financial and technical capabilities and enhanced cooperation among state institutions to effectively tackle accumulated environmental issues.
