Iraq heatwaves cost economy $150 million a day, observatory says

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Green Observatory said on July 5, 2026, that the number of days above 50°C in the country has risen by roughly 800% over the past 15 years. Before 2010, only three to five days per year crossed that threshold; in Baghdad, Basra and Maysan, the figure has climbed to between 25 and 40 days annually. According to the observatory, each day above 50°C costs the Iraqi economy about $150 million through power outages, factory shutdowns and higher fuel consumption, with total losses exceeding $9 billion during the summer of 2025. It said hospitals recorded more than 3,000 heatstroke and sunstroke cases in July 2025, while about 60% of street trees have died and dust storms have increased by 70%. The observatory reported that Baghdad has lost 85% of its vineyards and orchards, and that urban sprawl and concrete mass, which release heat at night, have turned the capital into a heat island. It added that gas flaring at oil fields and the use of private generators are raising carbon dioxide emissions and driving temperatures higher.