Canada Promises to Preserve the Mesopotamian Marshlands in Iraq

 

This month, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) of Canada and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Iraq signed an agreement for a project to protect Iraq's southern Marshlands, with a CAD 5 million (roughly US$ 3.7 million) contribution to increase biodiversity protection and human resilience to climate change.

The Center for Restoration of Iraqi Marshes & Wetlands (CRIMW) within the Ministry of Water Resources of Iraq will oversee the project's execution.

The legendary Marsh Arab civilization of Iraq is found in the Iraqi Mesopotamian Marshlands, one of West Asia's most significant hotspots for biodiversity and a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, the marshlands are now in danger due to climate change and irresponsible human activity.

Severe droughts, rising temperatures, decreased precipitation, and higher evaporation rates have an impact on the distinctive marsh ecosystems. In addition to the effects of climate change, habitat destruction, chemical and wastewater pollution, and human influence on river flow all reduce the resilience of ecosystems and biodiversity in the Marshes.

Due to their intimate connection to nature, the original inhabitants of the Mesopotamian Marshlands, especially women and girls, are among the first to experience the negative effects of climate change and ecological degradation.

In order to reduce poverty, promote social cohesion, and mitigate climate change, a set of project-recommended activities aims to strengthen the resilience of local communities to the effects of climate change, particularly indigenous Marsh women. It also seeks to address the root causes of biodiversity degradation and protect the wildlife population.

The initiative will place a special emphasis on investing in the empowerment of Marshland women, enhancing their involvement in decision-making processes, and encouraging them to become change agents in the Marshlands, particularly in the setting of southern Iraq where gender inequity is severe.

The project will increase local water security by restoring water recycling systems, outfitting them with solar energy units, and conducting an extensive analysis of potential solutions for securing drinking water for the Marshes population that are sustainable and scalable in the long run. This is due to the severe water scarcity.