BAGHDAD: Iraq’s water reserves have hit an all-time low, according to the ministry of water, and the country is “on the verge of a large water scarcity.”
Iraq has been experiencing water scarcity for several years, and rising global temperatures aren’t helping.
The UN currently ranks the country as the fifth most vulnerable to the climate disaster.
According to the UN, 90% of the country’s rivers are contaminated, and Iraq will only meet 15% of its water demand by 2035.
Almost 70% of the wetlands are dry, placing numerous fish species at risk of extinction.
Water diversion upstream in Turkey and Iran has exacerbated the situation, resulting in water losses and insufficient resource distribution.
According to the UN International Organisation for Migration, more than 62,000 people were relocated across Iraq owing to drought conditions in September 2022.
Source: Arab News