At the conclusion of a four-day visit to Iraq, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said that summer heat The severe weather and pollution in southern Iraq indicate that the “era of global boiling” has arrived.
During his visit to Mesopotamia, Turk met a number of leaders and visited parts of the country, while temperatures sometimes reached 50 degrees Celsius.
During the visit, he discussed the human rights file, with a focus on climate change.
And about his visit to the oil-producing Basra in southern Iraq, Turk said at a press conference in Baghdad today, Wednesday (9 August 2023): “When I stand in this scorching heat … and while inhaling the polluted air due to the many gas torches spread in the area, it became clear To me, the era of global upheaval has already begun.”
The United Nations says Iraq is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change.
Decreased rainfall coupled with poor management of water resources has led to Drought has been going on for years. The Ministry of Water Resources said that water levels this year have reached their lowest levels on record.
The water level in Iraq’s two main rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, has receded and is too low to sustain agriculture, which has flourished on their shores previously.
“What is happening here is a window into a future that is now coming for other parts of the world if we continue to fail in our responsibility to take preventive and mitigating actions against climate change,” Türk said.
Climate change hits the “Venice of the East”… Iraq’s marshes are dying!
dead fish
With eyes filled with sorrow, fishermen look at piles of dead fish washed up by the waves on the banks of the Amshan River in the Al-Majar Al-Kabir region of Maysan Governorate, in the south of the country. Fish mortality is largely due to the poor water quality in the Euphrates-Tigris delta. Despite this, the exact cause of the fish deaths has not yet been determined, prompting the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture to form a committee to study the causes of this disaster.
Climate change hits the “Venice of the East”… Iraq’s marshes are dying!
The fish are dying
In the neighboring province of Dhi Qar, fish can be seen dying due to the decline in water levels in the Chabayish Marsh due to the lack of rain. The United Nations has indicated that Iraq is among the five countries most affected by climate change. And the temperatures during the years reached 55 degrees Celsius.
Climate change hits the “Venice of the East”… Iraq’s marshes are dying!
high salinity
Low water levels and high temperatures in general lead to low oxygen levels and high salinity in rivers, which negatively affects fish stocks. The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture and the Water Resources Authority announced separate investigations to find out the causes of this water disaster in Maysan.
Climate change hits the “Venice of the East”… Iraq’s marshes are dying!
environmental poisoning
This turtle’s efforts to live in a toxic water environment failed and it succumbed to death. Every day, 5 million cubic meters of untreated sewage flows into the Tigris River, which supplies water to the Amshan River. Rotten fish exacerbates the water quality crisis in Amshan.
Climate change hits the “Venice of the East”… Iraq’s marshes are dying!
World Heritage List
This area is part of the Iraqi Marshes, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016, when UNESCO described it as “a biodiversity haven and a historical site for the cities of the Mesopotamian civilization.” For thousands of years, large populations dependent on either fishing or buffalo farming have lived in harmony with nature. The residents of the region used ways to adapt to life, such as living in reed huts (saraf).
Climate change hits the “Venice of the East”… Iraq’s marshes are dying!
driest in 40 years
The marshlands have been suffering from a lack of rainfall for years, but since 2020 they have been witnessing the most severe drought in 40 years. Turkey and Iran’s projects to build dams and canals have significantly reduced the flow of water into the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The inhabitants of the marshes are among the oldest human races on earth, and they are locally called the “Maadan”.
Climate change hits the “Venice of the East”… Iraq’s marshes are dying!
Despair strikes the fishermen
This boat was supposed to sail in the southern Chibayish marshes in Dhi Qar Governorate, but now it is standing bewildered in dry soil. The drought led to the elimination of the fishing profession, which burdened the fishermen who were burdened by the difficult economic conditions. In view of this, many fishermen decide to escape to the cities in order to earn a living.
Climate change hits the “Venice of the East”… Iraq’s marshes are dying!
Life above the reeds!
The Marsh fishermen live in “sarayef” made of reed hussars, above stacks of reeds floating on the surface of the water, known as “chibayesh”. Living this way may seem difficult, but it is possible for those born here.
Climate change hits the “Venice of the East”… Iraq’s marshes are dying!
Reeds as fodder and building material
After the fishing became scarce, the inhabitants of the marshes and the fishermen find nothing to subsist on today except selling reeds, which are used as fodder for buffaloes and cows, and when dried, they are used to build banks and rafts (chibayesh). The fisherman, Sheikh Abd al-Asadi, says that reeds, transporting tourists, raising buffaloes and selling its products are the current sources of income for the residents of the marshes.
Climate change hits the “Venice of the East”… Iraq’s marshes are dying!
The host is full of visitors
Reed beds are usually built on dry land, but they can be built on top of reed beds as well. These hosts are used today as hospitality stations for visitors and tourists, and marsh fish are being caught to make expensive banquets for them. Fishing, because of its scarcity, takes place before dawn with nets, and sometimes with electric current that electrocutes all creatures in a large patch of water.
Climate change hits the “Venice of the East”… Iraq’s marshes are dying!
space shrinking
The marshes covered 9,000 sq km in the 1970s, but had shrunk to 760 sq km by 2002 and had regained about 40 percent of the original area by 2005. Iraq says it aims to restore 6,000 sq km in total, but drought is hitting those plans. in depth.
Climate change hits the “Venice of the East”… Iraq’s marshes are dying!
Climate change threatens the “Venice of the East”
The region has been dubbed the “Venice of the East” as it has been a popular destination for tourists, but climate change threatens it and threatens the survival of a culture dating back thousands of years. The tragedy began during the reign of Saddam Hussein’s regime, when he drained the marshes to eliminate opponents of his regime after the “Shaaban uprising” in 1991 in southern Iraq. After the fall of the regime in 2003, residents demolished many dams so that the water could flow again in an attempt to breathe life into the marshlands. Florian Meyer/M.A
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2023-08-10 07:07:17
