The UN Security Council on Monday held an open debate on the issue of climate change and its threat to international peace and security, as well as its impact on the UN’s peacebuilding efforts around the globe.
“It is only fair that the international community launch preventive initiatives to ensure the survival of the effected communities and to address the harsh changes impacting the necessities of life in vulnerable areas that are more susceptible to climate change,” said Sarhad Sardar Fatah, Iraq’s deputy permanent representative to the UN.
The Iraqi representative expressed concern that competition between states over the control of resources had heavily aggravated the threat of climate change and water scarcity in the Middle East, calling for viable diplomatic agreements between disputing states to mitigate the impact.
Fatah stated that Iraq was seeking to cooperate with neighboring states on this issue, as demonstrated by Baghdad hosting an international water conference in May.
“Climate change does not recognize national borders, we therefore need comprehensive regional approaches based on international law. We need initiatives that use diplomatic tools to settle disputes among riparian states and spare the world and the region any tension and instability,” he added.
Iraq’s President Abdul Latif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani have repeatedly addressed the challenges presented by the country’s water crisis and warned against the mismanagement of water resources.
Iraq’s capital city of Baghdad hosted its third international water conference titled “Water Scarcity, the Mesopotamian Marshes, Shatt al-Arab Environment, Everyone's Responsibility” to discuss growing threats of drought and water scarcity, the effects of climate change, and ways to address such environmental issues.
Iraq is among the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including water and food insecurity, according to the United Nations. It is facing a severe water shortage because of reduced precipitation, higher temperatures, and waste and mismanagement. The crisis is worsened by upstream dams in Turkey and Iran that have led to a significant decrease in the volume of water entering the country.
