Men travel by traditional wooden boats through the marshes in southern Iraq, where rising water levels have begun restoring daily life and local livelihoods gradually. Photo by 964media
Minister: more water has helped Iraq’s ecosystems, but full recovery still distant
BAGHDAD — Increased rainfall and water releases have brought partial improvements to Iraq’s natural ecosystems and marshlands this year, but current levels remain insufficient for full environmental recovery, Environment Minister Srwa Abdulwahid said Friday.
Abdulwahid said higher rainfall, floods and releases had contributed to “a relative improvement in reviving natural systems and a number of marshland areas,” but called for cooperation from neighboring countries under humanitarian and legal frameworks governing the equitable sharing of transboundary water resources, saying such cooperation is necessary to protect ecosystems and address drought risks.
She announced plans for a public awareness campaign with government institutions and civil society organizations promoting responsible water use and “abandoning a culture of waste,” and described modern irrigation technologies and efficient water management as “the optimal solution” for addressing water scarcity and climate change.
This year’s rainfall and storms have boosted strategic reserves by around 6 billion cubic meters, a significant turnaround after reserves dropped to their lowest levels in roughly 80 years in 2025 due to prolonged drought and reduced upstream flows from Turkey and Iran. Iraq’s southern marshes have also seen a revival in biodiversity and local livelihoods following increased water releases.