By Peri-Khan Aqrawi-Whitcomb

In the #Kurdistan region of Iraq# , nestled between the snow-capped Zagros mountains and the fertile plains of ancient Mesopotamia, the scars of conflict are not just etched into the land but are also woven into the very air the people breathe, the water they drink, and the soil they till. This semi-autonomous region, once a cradle of ancient civilizations, is now at the epicenter of a different kind of battle—one against the relentless march of environmental degradation fueled by climate change and man-made disasters.

The Shadows of War: A Landscape Altered

Kurdistan’s environment has long been a casualty of regional conflicts, with the effects of decades of warfare still reverberating across its landscape. However, the environmental challenges today are not just remnants of past wars; ongoing geopolitical tensions, unsustainable practices, and the looming specter of climate change exacerbate them.

Turkey and Iran, Kurdistan’s powerful neighbors, play a significant role in this unfolding environmental crisis. Turkey’s extensive dam projects on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, including the controversial Ilisu Dam, have significantly reduced water flow downstream into Iraq. These rivers, lifelines for millions, are now choked, leaving the fertile lands of Kurdistan parched and its ecosystems on the brink of collapse. Iran, too, has diverted rivers that once flowed freely into Iraq, further tightening the noose on the region’s water resources. The result is a rapidly drying landscape, with agriculture—the backbone of the local economy—facing a dire future. As reported by the Washington Kurdish Institute, water has increasingly become a weapon in the region’s geopolitical struggles, exacerbating the environmental crisis faced by the people of Kurdistan.

Gas Flaring and the Poisoned Air

As if the water crisis weren’t enough, the air in Kurdistan is thick with pollutants, much of it stemming from the pervasive practice of gas flaring. Both Iraq and Iran are major offenders when it comes to wasting natural gas. In Iraq, it is estimated that over 17 billion cubic meters of natural gas flare yearly, making it one of the top five flaring countries globally. This wasted gas could generate enough electricity to power three million homes. Iran, too, flares substantial amounts of gas—approximately 10 billion cubic meters annually. If harnessed, this gas could generate enough electricity to supply the needs of the entire Kurdistan region and beyond.

In Iran and Iraq, flaring is a common byproduct of oil extraction, where excess natural gas is burned off, releasing a cocktail of pollutants into the atmosphere. These flares, often visible from miles away, light up the night sky but darken the air with harmful substances like methane and carbon dioxide. The impact on local communities is profound—respiratory illnesses are rising, and the air-sustaining life has become a disease vector.

The environmental toll of gas flaring is not confined to Kurdistan alone; it is a regional issue, with the pollutants crossing borders and contributing to a broader climate crisis. The greenhouse gases emitted from flaring significantly contribute to global warming, exacerbating the extreme weather patterns, like droughts, and flash floods, that have already begun to disrupt life in this fragile region.[1]

=KTML_Link_External_Begin=https://www.kurdipedia.org/docviewer.aspx?id=646101&document=0001.PDF=KTML_Link_External_Between=Click to read Navigating Environmental Challenges in Iraqi Kurdistan Amid Ongoing Conflicts=KTML_Link_External_End=