Why Are Iraq and the Kurdistan Region Losing Their Green Spaces?

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Soran Ali – Activist

When you walk through the streets of Iraq’s major cities or the Kurdistan Region, the first thing that catches your attention is the absence of greenery and the overwhelming dominance of grey and brown. Despite the fact that this region was historically known as the Land Between Two Rivers (Mesopotamia) and the Fertile Crescent, today it faces a severe environmental crisis.

The proportion of green space within cities has declined dramatically, while environmental pollution has become a persistent and growing problem.

To understand how we reached this point, we must examine several interconnected causes.

1. Concrete Replacing Nature: Unplanned Urban Expansion

Over the past few decades, cities across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have expanded rapidly without proper planning. Agricultural land and historic orchards have been replaced by housing developments, commercial complexes, and shopping malls.

In most urban master plans, public parks and green spaces have received little attention, and the designated percentage of land reserved for greenery has often been ignored.

At the same time, a culture of excessive construction has emerged. Residential gardens that were once filled with trees and flowers have increasingly been paved over with concrete and tiles to create parking spaces.

2. Water Crisis and Climate Change

Iraq is among the countries most severely affected by climate change.

Regional water policies have also worsened the crisis. The construction of dams by Turkey and Iran on the Tigris, Euphrates, and their tributaries has significantly reduced the flow of surface water into Iraq.

Combined with prolonged drought, declining rainfall, and temperatures that frequently exceed 50°C (122°F) during the summer, these conditions have caused widespread loss of trees and natural vegetation and accelerated desertification.

3. Uncontrolled Air Pollution

Urban environments remain heavily polluted because the sources of pollution continue to grow with little or no effective regulation.

Private electricity generators: Due to the chronic shortage of reliable public electricity, thousands of large diesel generators operate day and night in residential neighbourhoods, releasing harmful emissions into the air.
Rapid growth in vehicle numbers: Roads are overcrowded with ageing and poorly maintained vehicles that emit large quantities of toxic exhaust gases.
Unregulated oil refineries: Numerous informal and poorly regulated oil refineries located around cities contaminate the air, soil, and water with hazardous waste and emissions.

4. Weak Environmental Awareness and Poor Enforcement of the Law

Alongside natural and political factors, human behaviour also plays a significant role.

Environmental protection has not yet become part of everyday civic responsibility. Tree planting and protecting public green spaces are still not widely viewed as shared public duties.

Environmental legislation is either inadequate or poorly enforced. Meaningful penalties for illegal tree cutting and environmental pollution are often absent or ineffective.

According to international urban planning standards, 15% to 25% of urban land should consist of green space. However, in most cities across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, green coverage is estimated to be below 5% to 10%.

How Can We Bring Back the Green?

The solution is not impossible, but it requires genuine political commitment and greater public awareness.

Establish green belts around cities to reduce the impact of dust storms and improve air quality.
Strictly enforce urban planning laws by refusing permits for any residential or commercial development that does not allocate at least 25% of its land to green space.
Plant drought-resistant trees such as olive, acacia, and pine species that can survive high temperatures and limited water supplies.
Launch a national environmental awareness campaign by educating students about environmental responsibility and encouraging nationwide tree-planting initiatives.

Conclusion

Urban green spaces are far more than decoration or landscaping—they are the lungs of our cities.

If decisive action is not taken today to combat desertification and pollution, our cities may soon become increasingly unsuitable for human life, and it will be future generations who pay the price with their health and quality of life.