With tensions in the region increasing yet again over the past year, IFG decided to give extra attention to the impacts  of conflict on the environment. That’s why on the 14th of November IFG is organising the event “The ecological effects of war; conflict and the green movement in the Middle East”, to share experiences and insights with the Dutch public. As background information, this article will present the impact that several conflicts in Iraq have had on the environment in the country and on its people.

Waste

The first impact is simply: material waste. Military intervention by (western) powers in the early 2000's has left tons of waste, including: clothes, medical waste, plastics and electronics. The quickest way to dispose of this waste was to burn it, which would happen in so called burn pits. The fumes would spread across the land and settle down in residential and agricultural areas, where it would contaminate soil and bodies of water.

But there is also the issue of rubble and remains of war machinery. Iraq has largely dealt with the rubble and large waste after the wars. Some remnants are still visible, however. Near Basra you can still find a graveyard full of tanks, vehicles and artillery. The disintegration of this weaponry leads to contamination of groundwater and surrounding soil. A disproportionate number of the inhabitants of this region have reported cases of some form of cancer.

War efforts have also left ships stranded near Iraq's coastline. Many of these ships still hold oil and other toxic chemicals. These wrecks are a ticking timebomb; if they are not removed spillage is inevitable. However, removing them requires precision and resources. Something the Iraqi government has been unable to locate, if left undealt with, could cause additional water pollution.

Water contamination

A second impact is on water. Water infrastructure might be the most vital form of infrastructure in any country. Often during times of conflict different types of infrastructure are targeted. In Iraq, an example is a water treatment plant that was targeted during the Gulf war, stripping people of access to clean drinking water. A second is that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ordered to drain Iraq's marshlands in the south, with the goal to draw out the enemy hiding in this terrain. As a result of the drainage only 7% remained of the marshlands back in 2001. Restoration efforts have led the marshlands to grow back to 50% of their original size. However, poor filtration systems and pollution, partially from previous war efforts, have left the marshlands with high levels of salinity. This causes fish to die, overall loss of biodiversity and the surrounding soil to be unfertile. 

Depleted uranium 

A third impact is that of chemical waste. The involvement of the United States in several conflicts in Iraq, has left roughly 5 million kilos of toxic waste in Iraq. The main toxic materials commonly found in Iraq are depleted uranium and dioxin. Depleted uranium is a byproduct when producing other forms of uranium used in nuclear weapons. Depleted uranium is still radioactive, albeit to a lesser extent than actual uranium. It is used to make ammunition out of or as armour for military vehicles including tanks. These materials have polluted soil and water, which in turn is harmful to humans, animals and vegetation. There are over a 1000 locations where depleted uranium is known to have contaminated the area. With dire consequences; depleted uranium in soil and water causes crop yield to fail or become polluted. Toxic particles can be swept up in sandstorms and settle across the country, as well as in populated areas. Ingestion of depleted uranium through inhalation or consumption, is thought to contribute to the rising cases of cancer among Iraqi citizens. The effects on animals have not been observed, but are likely to be similar. 

Trees

A fourth and final impact of war is that on biodiversity. Iraq used to be home to 30 million date palm trees. This changed after the First (Persian) Gulf War in the 1980s. Less than half remains, the other half fell victim to conflict, neglect or was cut down purposefully to use the wood for military purposes. Losing this many trees changed the environment completely, not only are there less dates for people and animals to consume, but they also used to provide shade for animals and plants alike. Trees also provide a cooling effect, and in a country like Iraq where temperatures can, in part due to climate change, rise to over 50 degrees Celsius, trees are vital to keep temperatures down and provide much needed shade.  

Governance & green policies

Conflicts also influence democratic and policy making processes – being at war decreases a government’s capacity to consider its environment and manage possible effects or consequences, let alone manage natural resources, the environment or infrastructure. Iraq was already vulnerable to the effects of climate change, the addition of conflict to the equation made that considerably worse. Often times funding for climate adaptation or other forms of climate policy is stopped during times of conflict due to fear of it falling into the wrong hands. Now that the country is not dealing with conflict anymore, climate policy is back on the agenda. As the country 5th most prone the effects of climate change, Green policies have actually enjoyed broad support among the population and the people in power. Yet it will still be an uphill battle to reverse all the negatives effects on the environment of past conflicts. Climate financing is vital especially in times of conflict as it takes a toll on the environment as well, with funding the government could try and manage the effects, even focusing on prevention where possible.

Conclusion

Even after a period of relative stability, Iraq is still dealing with the consequences of previous conflicts on its environment while simultaneously battling the visible impacts of climate change. Shrinking marshlands and the loss of many palm trees has forced people into urban areas, as they are unable to live off the lands affected by conflict upon conflict. The loss of trees and extra emission caused by bombing and other military operations have accelerated climate change; sandstorms and heat waves are growing more common. Waste left over from war times is still contaminating water and soil, in places that are referred to as graveyards. Iraq serves as an example of how conflict does not just inflict pain and suffering on people through displacement and violence but also years after the initial conflict has ended trough irreversible effects on its environment. 

Addulrahman Al Bo Ragheef, head of programme department will be speaking about these issues and ways forward during our event on this topic. Join us to learn more about the current situation in Iraq and the region.

More information can be found here.

Sources: 

Al-Rubaie, A. (2022, 26 mei). Climate change ravages Iraq as palm trees make way for desert. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/26/climate-change-ravages-iraq-as…

Billing, B. L. (2022, 24 januari). After the Wars in Iraq, ‘Everything Living is Dying’ - Inside Climate News. Inside Climate News. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/29122021/iraq-ecocide/

ICRC. (2021, 20 juli). Iraq’s perfect storm – a climate and environmental crisis amid the scars of war. International Committee Of The Red Cross. https://www.icrc.org/en/document/iraqs-perfect-storm-climate-and-enviro…