Iraq makes green belts a priority in anti-desertification plan

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq’s Environment Ministry said on Sunday, May 31, 2026, that green belts are a core part of the country’s strategy to fight desertification. It said the projects will be carried out in close coordination with the Agriculture Ministry, provincial councils and local municipalities. Najla Al-Waeli, director general of the ministry’s technical department, said the green belt work is included in the implementation plan for Iraq’s national strategy to combat land degradation and desertification. She said each province will design and carry out green belt infrastructure according to its own ecological characteristics. The ministry said the loss of vegetation in cities increases air pollution and harms public health. It also said the current water season offers an opportunity to expand tree-planting campaigns across the country.