Environment and Climate Change - elbarlament.org - cultures of democracy https://elbarlament.org We empower people to live self-determined lives that are free from discrimination and to participate actively in political, social and cultural development processes. Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:41:50 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 Women Leading the Water Sector in Duhok https://elbarlament.org/projects/women-leading-the-water-sector-in-duhok/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=women-leading-the-water-sector-in-duhok Thu, 01 Sep 2022 13:28:12 +0000 https://elbarlament.org/projects/new-water-leaders-for-iraq-a-leadership-programme-to-foster-peace-in-mesopotamia-copy/ The “Women Leading the Water Sector in Duhok” will enable the participating women and men to implement a gender-responsive Integrated Water Resource Management.

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  • Country: Iraq
  • Project duration: August 2022 –  February 2023
  • Project objective: Enabling the participating women and men to implement a gender-responsive Integrated Water Resource Management in Duhok, Iraq.

Climate Change and Water Scarcity in Iraq

Iraq ranks among the countries most severely affected by climate change. In the years leading up to the project, it consistently placed within the top five most water-scarce nations worldwide while also experiencing some of the steepest temperature increases.

These environmental pressures intensified both inter-state and intra-state tensions around water resources. Desertification, pollution and shrinking water supplies forced many communities to migrate toward urban areas, putting additional pressure on cities and infrastructure. Rising temperatures accelerated droughts and prolonged dry periods, further worsening the spread of desertification.

By that time, 54% of Iraq’s agricultural land had already become unusable due to salinisation, while 39% of the country’s land area was affected by desertification. In several regions, communities faced severe limitations in both the quantity and quality of available water. As a result, the economic, social, political and human security of Iraq’s population of around 40 million people came under increasing strain.

Why Women’s Leadership in Water Matters

Women played a crucial role in the provision, management and protection of water resources in Iraq. Yet despite this central role, they remained underrepresented in decision-making positions within the water sector.

Addressing Iraq’s water crisis required policies and approaches that recognized women’s specific needs while also enabling them to actively shape water governance. Strengthening women’s participation in water resource management—from planning to implementation—was therefore a key step toward more sustainable and inclusive solutions.

The project aimed to support this shift by enabling participating women and men to implement gender-responsive Integrated Water Resource Management.

“Women Leading the Water Sector in Duhok” was funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). 

 

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]]> New Water Leaders for Iraq- a leadership programme to foster peace in Mesopotamia https://elbarlament.org/projects/new-water-leaders-for-iraq-a-leadership-programme-to-foster-peace-in-mesopotamia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-water-leaders-for-iraq-a-leadership-programme-to-foster-peace-in-mesopotamia Thu, 02 Jun 2022 11:05:15 +0000 https://elbarlament.org/projects/iraq-thinks-ahead-copy/ The leadership programme “New Water Leaders for Iraq” responds to the challenges water resources in Iraq are facing: a strong deficit in coordinated and integrated water resource management paired with a deficit in leadership and conflict resolution skills among decision-makers, civil servants and other stakeholders in the water sector.

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  • Country: Iraq
  • Project duration: April -December 2022
  • Project objective: Improve cooperation and soft skills of stakeholders to deduce risk of water-related conflicts in Iraq
  • Project events: Stakeholder mapping, Dialogue with stakeholders and development of a strategy paper, Feasibility study

The leadership programme “New Water Leaders for Iraq” responds to the challenges water resources in Iraq are facing: a strong deficit in coordinated and integrated water resource management paired with a deficit in leadership and conflict resolution skills among decision-makers, civil servants and other stakeholders in the water sector.

The programme trains a group of 22 participants to manage future water resource projects in an integrated manner and strengthens the network among decision-makers, civil servants and other stakeholders in the water sector. In a series of six interrelated workshops, the project brings together future leaders in the water sector from civil society, academia, and the public sector to enhance their knowledge about Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) and equip them with the skills they need to adopt IWRM-conform practices in their day-to-day work. Themes covered include IWRM in theory and practice, gender sensitivity in water management, preventing and fighting corruption in the water sector and managing water-related conflict, including conflicts that may arise from applying IWRM principles in institutional reforms and policymaking (which has implications for traditional power holders with entrenched interests). 

In addition to building the capacities of the targeted individuals, the leadership programme will facilitate trust-building and networking among the participants with a view to creating the nucleus of what could one day become an influential multi-stakeholder alliance pushing for more inclusive and effective water policymaking and water management in Iraq.The project follows the needs identified in our past project “Clean Tigris” and refers to the Roadmap and website developed in 2021. 

“New Water Leaders for Iraq” is funded by the ifa, funding programme Zivik, with funds by the German Federal Foreign Office.

 


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]]> Iraq Thinks Ahead – An Iraqi Climate and Environment Institute https://elbarlament.org/projects/iraq-thinks-ahead/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=iraq-thinks-ahead Fri, 28 Jan 2022 15:04:57 +0000 https://elbarlament.org/projects/civic-education-iraq-copy/ Iraq Thinks Ahead - An Iraqi Climate and Environment Institute is a feasibility study examining the creation of a climate and environment institute in Iraq, with the longterm goal of assisting Iraq in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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  • Country: Iraq
  • Project duration: February to July 2022
  • Project objective: Assessing feasibility of creating a climate and environment institute in Iraq
  • Project events: Stakeholder mapping, dialogue with stakeholders, development of a strategy paper, feasibility study.

Background:

Iraq has been experiencing severe drought in recent years, threatening to exacerbate an already unstable situation. Water demand is expected to increase in the future due to a rapid population growth (2.3% growth in the country compared to 1.1% globally), while the amount of available water will continue to decrease due to a decrease in precipitation (-9% by 2050), an increase in temperature (+ 2 °С in 2050), and the spread of longer and more severe droughts. According to the Iraqi Minister of Water Resources, the country is expected to face a water shortage of 10.5 billion cubic meters in 2035.

Iraq has so far failed to successfully address the consequences of climate change – particularly in the areas of water and agriculture. Although there are numerous government ministries, councils and committees dealing with the issue, it lacks of independent institutions, research and well-trained scientists. Serious dialogue between government, academia and civil society on the impacts of climate change and measures to adapt to it is hardly taking place. Awareness among the population regarding climate change is low. There is a lack of public information, knowledge, and research on climate-smart action that actively engages the population.

The long-term goal of the project is to assist Iraq in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In order to advance with the development of a more solid climate and environmental policy, this study will examine the feasibility of a climate and environment institute in the country. This institute would be responsible for:

  • Research and policy advice
  • Implementation of dialogue programs between civil society and governmental stakeholders
  • Establishment of sustainable networks for specific groups of stakeholders (e.g. women in climate change)
  • Capacity building and scientific exchange
  • Knowledge management at national and regional level

This project is funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

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]]> Clean Tigris – dialogue project for sustainable peace in Mesopotamia https://elbarlament.org/projects/clean-tigris/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=clean-tigris Tue, 29 Jun 2021 14:24:57 +0000 https://elbarlament.org/?post_type=us_portfolio&p=1398
  • Country: Iraq
  • Duration of the project: February 2020-December 2021
  • Project objective: Develop sustainable solutions to fight water pollution and improve water management in Iraq
  • Social media: Instagram, Youtube and Facebook (in Arabic)

The dialogue programme “Clean Tigris” brought together city mayors and other decision-makers, academics, active members of civil society and artists living along the two main rivers Euphrates and Tigris and the Marshlands in Iraq into a dialogue. Together, they developed sustainable solutions to fight water pollution and strive to improve water management in the country.

Background:

In 2016, the marshlands of Iraq were listed a UNESCO world heritage. 

Water means life. The two rivers Euphrates and Tigris serve as important food and water sources for the Iraqi population: be it as an economic livelihood for fishermen, buffalo herders, or families who harvest reed. The population living along the rivers realised that the cultural heritage of the Marshlands is drying out and the surfaces are polluted with plastic waste. In several communities along the rivers, governors and local NGOs are already running initiatives to improve the situation. But since the water flows from North to South, a joint effort from all communities is needed to improve the situation.

Impressions from the comic book, Clean Tigris
Interactive Map Clean Tigris

The project was funded by the ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) programme “zivik”, with funds from the German Federal Foreign Office.

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]]> Environmental study trip for Iraqi parliamentarians and government representatives https://elbarlament.org/projects/study-trip-for-iraqi-delegation-environment/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=study-trip-for-iraqi-delegation-environment Tue, 29 Oct 2019 11:57:37 +0000 https://elbarlament.org/projects/women-leading-the-water-sector-in-duhok-copy/ elbarlament organised a study trip for an Iraqi delegation of high-level government and parliamentary officials to promote the exchange between Iraqi decision-makers and German political institutions as well as experts in the fields of water treatment and purification, environmental protection and nature conservation and resource-saving energy sources.

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  • Country: Germany
  • Contact person: Birgit Laubach laubach@elbarlament.org
  • Project duration: October 2019
  • Project objective: Promote the exchange between Iraqi decision-makers and German political institutions as well as experts in the fields of water treatment and purification, environmental protection and nature conservation and resource-saving energy sources.

Iraq is gravely impacted by the consequences of climate change, facing water scarcity, decline in agricultural land, desertification, etc. Unfortunately, the country lacks any strong environmental policies. Supporting the establishment of an environmental institute is a necessary step within a framework of measures to stabilise the country and prevent climate-induced migration. The success of environmental policies such as clean water and stable energy supplies, can help to reduce the high level of dissatisfaction in the country. Such policies would show that the government is acting in the interest of the population. The establishment and tasks of the Environmental Institute should be integrated into a medium-term strategy that also strengthens scientific education and environmental administration.

Based on this idea, elbarlament organised a study trip for an Iraqi delegation consisting of Mrs. Dr. Sarbagh Salih, First Lady of Iraq,  Dr. Jassim Alfalahi, Deputy Minister of Environment and Health,  Dr. Abdulbary Almudarris,  MP, Council of Representatives and Mohammed Taher Al- Tamimi, General Director of the NGO Directorate and Chairman of the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers in October 2019.

Despite its short length, the delegation had the opportunity to visit and hear from important stakeholders in German state institutions (Federal Environment Ministry, Federal Environment Agency, Baden-Württemberg state representation), as well as independent institutions (Sustainability Council, Helmholtz Research Institute UfZ, as well as NGOs such as the Nature Conservation Association or the Eco Institute).

This study trip served as a basis for our other Environment and Climate Change projects that took place since.

Despite the short length of the trip, participants gained a wealth of information

The study trip was funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) with funds from the Federal Foreign Office. 

 

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