Iraq is seeking urgent international assistance to prevent its Tigris and Euphrates rivers from shrivelling as a result of climate change, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani said at an event in Baghdad, according to Bloomberg.
“Saving the Tigris and Euphrates requires an urgent international intervention,” Al-Sudani said. “We need efforts of all friends in the countries and organizations to help Iraq in this critical time of its two great rivers’ history.”
Al-Sudani said his government has drawn up a climate strategy that extends to 2030 that will include capturing gases to reduce environmental damage, incentivizing farmers who use modern irrigation technologies, and harnessing renewable energies. The administration established a council that will devise a strategy for maintaining water security.
The government also plans a seawater desalination project to make up for short supply from the two major rivers.
In March, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country will increase the amount of water released from its section of the Tigris for a month to relieve Iraq’s water distress.
