Iraq's forgotten crisis
Iraq's increasing environmental problems may destabilise the fragile security gains of the last two years
James Denselow guardian.co.uk, Saturday 18 July 2009 15.00 BST larger | smaller Article history
At the start of the month, the US vice-president Joe Biden visited Iraq unannounced to consolidate his position as Obama's Mesopotamia point-man. While the visit looked to back up the withdrawal of US troops from urban areas, his attempts to mediate worsening Irbil-Baghdad relations was impeded by a spate of sandstorms in the north of the country.
These are symptoms of a forgotten issue that may destabilise the fragile gains of the past two years. Indeed, while the history of post-invasion Iraq is a narrative largely composed of body counts, electoral milestones, torture scandals and troop numbers, a forgotten story is how the destruction and painfully slow reconstruction of the Iraq state is occurring against the backdrop of a deteriorating natural environment.
Over two years of drought have seriously dented what was already a marginalised and underfunded agriculture sector. Iraq is a largely desert country with an average of only four to just over six-and-a-half inches of rainfall a year; only 13% of its land is arable. Traditionally, agriculture has been the second largest employer behind the oil sector, yet the impact of years of sanctions followed by the 2003 war has compromised the central state's ability to contest the upstream damming of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers by Syria and Turkey.
Despite World Bank opposition, Turkey is proceeding with large scale dam building as part of its "south-eastern Anatolia project", involving the construction of 22 irrigation dams and 19 hydroelectric plants. The subsequent reduction in river flows in Iraq led a recently emboldened Baghdad parliament to pass a resolution last May urging the government to demand a greater share of water resources from neighbours. However, with internal issues still volatile (over 400 civilians died in June) the Iraqi state is in no real position to exert effective pressure on its neighbours.
The consequences of the upstream damming of Iraq's rivers, when compounded with a general trend towards the reduction in rainfall entering the two river basins, is having a severe impact on the Iraqi breadbasket's ability to feed its population. The World Food Programme estimates that some 930,000 people are currently food-insecure in Iraq, with a further 6.4 million at risk of becoming food-insecure in the event of the failure of the Public Distribution System (PDS). Resettlement of internally displaced refugees and the potential return of the millions of Iraqis from Jordan and Syria all have the potential to place a further burden on this fragile system. Adam L Silverman, who worked as a social science adviser for the US army human terrain teams in 2008, noted that lack of river discharge leads to "ongoing soil erosion that leads to further desertification and increased heat and dust storms, which has a measurable negative impact on the quality of life of the Iraqis". Reuters reported that the sandstorms that delayed Biden's trip led to several deaths and "hundreds of Iraqis seeking medical help after one of the worst sandstorms in living memory stretched beyond a week, choking throats, clogging eyes and afflicting asthma sufferers in particular".
Desertification and worsening sandstorms are forcing a flight of population to the cities. The consequences of this urbanisation place more pressure on the Baghdad's government's limited capacity. Indeed, this month the Red Cross reported noticeable increases in the numbers of Baghdad beggars, all part of the hidden consequences that a battered Iraqi society will take years to recover from.
The recent oil concession conferences signal the acceleration of a process that could have larger ramifications for the Iraqi environment. Poorly maintained and low-quality oil infrastructure and gas flaring are already huge environmental problems, with flaring estimates of 600m cubic feet a day making Iraq the fourth-worst culprit in the world. Iraq is home to an estimated 9% of the world's crude oil supply, a fact that led many of the world's biggest oil companies to attend the July Baghdad contract bidding conference, yet with focus on the levels of nationalisation, environmental protection measures may lose out in the rush to increase output.
Behind the violence, the drying rivers, the expanding deserts and the burgeoning cities are forgotten issues that may have crucial roles to play in shaping the direction of a beleaguered Iraq.
Printable versionSend to a friendShareClipContact us larger | smaller EmailClose Recipient's email address Your first name Your surname Add a note (optional)
Your IP address will be logged
ShareClose Diggreddit Google Bookmarks Twitter del.icio.us StumbleUpon Newsvine livejournal Facebook Mixx it! Contact usClose Report errors or inaccuracies: userhelp@guardian.co.uk Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard:
+44 (0)20 3353 2000 Advertising guide License/buy our content World newsIraq · Middle East EnvironmentWater ScienceAgriculture More commentMore from Comment is free onWorld newsIraq · Middle East EnvironmentWater ScienceAgriculture Related
4 Feb 2009Graham Harvey: We should grow crops and keep cows in Green Park
15 Jan 2009Climate change could be slowed by planting crop varieties that reflect more sunlight, claim food scientists
22 Nov 2008Rich countries launch great land grab to safeguard food supply
11 Jun 2008Esther Addley visits what will be Britain's biggest greenhouse site.
Printable versionSend to a friendShareClipContact usArticle history
EmailClose Recipient's email address Your first name Your surname Add a note (optional)
Your IP address will be logged
ShareClose Diggreddit Google Bookmarks Twitter del.icio.us StumbleUpon Newsvine livejournal Facebook Mixx it!
Contact usClose Report errors or inaccuracies: userhelp@guardian.co.uk Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard:
+44 (0)20 3353 2000 Advertising guide License/buy our content
About this articleClose Iraq's forgotten crisis | James DenselowThis article was first published on guardian.co.uk at 15.00 BST on Saturday 18 July 2009. It was last updated at 15.00 BST on Saturday 18 July 2009. Most viewed on guardian.co.uk24 hours 7 days Most talked about 24 hours1. Ashes: England v Australia - day two as it happened | Rob Smyth and Andy Bull 2. Ashes: England v Australia - day three as it happened | Sean Ingle and Rob Smyth 3. Pepper-spray defence means South Africa robbers face loss of balance at cash machines 4. The Joy of Six: Great team goals | Rob Smyth 5. Swarms of carnivorous giant flying squid terrorise southern Californian coast More top stories 7 days1. Ashes: England v Australia - day two as it happened | Rob Smyth and Andy Bull 2. Ashes: England v Australia - day five as it happened | Rob Smyth 3. Ashes: England v Australia - day one as it happened | Andy Bull and Rob Smyth 4. Ashes: England v Australia - day three as it happened | Sean Ingle and Rob Smyth 5. Twitter is not for teens, Morgan Stanley told by 15-year-old expert More top stories Most talked about
1. Rafsanjani leads Friday prayers (11 technorati links)
2. Cash machine thieves face pepper spray in SA (11)
3. Peter Bradshaw | Films in high-definition TV? It's as barmy as Sky's billboards (9)
4. The words of God do not justify cruelty to women (
5. British veteran of first world war dies at 113 (7)
More
Today's rising blog posts from
Gadgets from the Guardian shop Radio Controlled Talking WatchDesigned in association with the RNIB, this watch is accurate to 1 second in a million years.
From: £44.95
Browse more technology productsVisit the Guardian reader offers shopcomment is free…Latest posts 6hr 42min ago Pakistan to register 'third sex' hijras Basim Usmani: A court ruling follows a bid to improve life for Pakistan's impoverished transgender, transvestite and eunuch community 21 comments 7hr 42min ago Ski jumping: not for ladies? Georgina Turner: Female ski jumpers already use the same hills as men. So why can't they compete in the Winter Olympics?
53 commentsComment from the paperCherie Booth: Africa's obstruction of justice
Polly Toynbee: These signs of life won't quicken Labour's heartbeat
Julian Baggini: Without fear of trespass
Free P&P at the Guardian bookshop Log from the Sea of Cortez£14.99 with free UK delivery Wrong Kind of Snow£9.99 with free UK deliveryBrowse the bestsellers lists Buy books from the Guardian Bookshop Latest news on guardian.co.uk
NewsBritish first world war veteran dies at 113SportEngland v Australia: Day threeComment is freeThese signs of life won't quicken Labour's heartbeatSponsored features UK USA UK Browse all jobs
Green Spaces Development Managerrotherham mbc. rotherham. £31,439 - £34,207 pa.
Head of Housing and Public Protectionlondon borough of havering. havering. Up to £92,000.
Senior Policy Adviser (s)department of energy and climate change. london. £31,771 - £38,821.
USA Browse all jobs
{for result in results}
{/for}
Medical Science Liaison 5152009 on the market environment, promotional and clinical... with recognized experts/Key Opinion Leaders in Science and/or Medicine is required. Experience working... IL
Sales Manager training, excellent benefits, competitive compensation and a positive working environment. We're headquartered in Wichita, Kansas with offices in Topeka, KS... KS
Specimen Accessioner a High School Diploma or equivalent w/1-2 years of experience in lab environment along with solid data entry skills preferred. Must be willing and available to... KS
jobs by
Ads by GoogleNew Honda Insight HybridBecome a more efficient driver at the touch of a button. Learn more.
www.honda.com
Top 10 Antivirus SoftwareRead Reviews and Compare the Top 10 Antivirus Software of 2009.
2009SoftwareReviews.net
Iraqi Dinar in Texas$48.50 for 25,000 Iraqi dinars Credit cards & COD accepted
www.DinarProfits.com
Related informationWorld newsIraq · Middle East EnvironmentWater ScienceAgriculture More from Comment is free onWorld newsIraq · Middle East EnvironmentWater ScienceAgriculture
'If there is no water, the Chipaya have no life'
24 Apr 2009:
Rory Carroll speaks to members of the Uru Chipaya tribe, whose lifestyle in the Bolivian Andes is being threatened by the effects of global warming
More video
27 Apr 2008A genetic gamble?
28 Mar 2008Study links Parkinson's to pesticide exposure
3 Jul 2007Humans use or abuse quarter of all energy from plants
28 Oct 2006Fighting poverty
Snowdonian farm becomes National treasure
13 Nov 2008:
A National Trust campaign to Save Snowdon launched 10 years ago is thriving
More galleries
License/buy our content | Privacy policy | Terms & conditions | Advertising guide | Accessibility | A-Z index | Inside guardian.co.uk blog | About guardian.co.uk | Join our dating site today
guardian.co.uk
Guardian News and Media Limited 2009
Iraq's increasing environmental problems may destabilise the fragile security gains of the last two years
James Denselow guardian.co.uk, Saturday 18 July 2009 15.00 BST larger | smaller Article history
At the start of the month, the US vice-president Joe Biden visited Iraq unannounced to consolidate his position as Obama's Mesopotamia point-man. While the visit looked to back up the withdrawal of US troops from urban areas, his attempts to mediate worsening Irbil-Baghdad relations was impeded by a spate of sandstorms in the north of the country.
These are symptoms of a forgotten issue that may destabilise the fragile gains of the past two years. Indeed, while the history of post-invasion Iraq is a narrative largely composed of body counts, electoral milestones, torture scandals and troop numbers, a forgotten story is how the destruction and painfully slow reconstruction of the Iraq state is occurring against the backdrop of a deteriorating natural environment.
Over two years of drought have seriously dented what was already a marginalised and underfunded agriculture sector. Iraq is a largely desert country with an average of only four to just over six-and-a-half inches of rainfall a year; only 13% of its land is arable. Traditionally, agriculture has been the second largest employer behind the oil sector, yet the impact of years of sanctions followed by the 2003 war has compromised the central state's ability to contest the upstream damming of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers by Syria and Turkey.
Despite World Bank opposition, Turkey is proceeding with large scale dam building as part of its "south-eastern Anatolia project", involving the construction of 22 irrigation dams and 19 hydroelectric plants. The subsequent reduction in river flows in Iraq led a recently emboldened Baghdad parliament to pass a resolution last May urging the government to demand a greater share of water resources from neighbours. However, with internal issues still volatile (over 400 civilians died in June) the Iraqi state is in no real position to exert effective pressure on its neighbours.
The consequences of the upstream damming of Iraq's rivers, when compounded with a general trend towards the reduction in rainfall entering the two river basins, is having a severe impact on the Iraqi breadbasket's ability to feed its population. The World Food Programme estimates that some 930,000 people are currently food-insecure in Iraq, with a further 6.4 million at risk of becoming food-insecure in the event of the failure of the Public Distribution System (PDS). Resettlement of internally displaced refugees and the potential return of the millions of Iraqis from Jordan and Syria all have the potential to place a further burden on this fragile system. Adam L Silverman, who worked as a social science adviser for the US army human terrain teams in 2008, noted that lack of river discharge leads to "ongoing soil erosion that leads to further desertification and increased heat and dust storms, which has a measurable negative impact on the quality of life of the Iraqis". Reuters reported that the sandstorms that delayed Biden's trip led to several deaths and "hundreds of Iraqis seeking medical help after one of the worst sandstorms in living memory stretched beyond a week, choking throats, clogging eyes and afflicting asthma sufferers in particular".
Desertification and worsening sandstorms are forcing a flight of population to the cities. The consequences of this urbanisation place more pressure on the Baghdad's government's limited capacity. Indeed, this month the Red Cross reported noticeable increases in the numbers of Baghdad beggars, all part of the hidden consequences that a battered Iraqi society will take years to recover from.
The recent oil concession conferences signal the acceleration of a process that could have larger ramifications for the Iraqi environment. Poorly maintained and low-quality oil infrastructure and gas flaring are already huge environmental problems, with flaring estimates of 600m cubic feet a day making Iraq the fourth-worst culprit in the world. Iraq is home to an estimated 9% of the world's crude oil supply, a fact that led many of the world's biggest oil companies to attend the July Baghdad contract bidding conference, yet with focus on the levels of nationalisation, environmental protection measures may lose out in the rush to increase output.
Behind the violence, the drying rivers, the expanding deserts and the burgeoning cities are forgotten issues that may have crucial roles to play in shaping the direction of a beleaguered Iraq.
Printable versionSend to a friendShareClipContact us larger | smaller EmailClose Recipient's email address Your first name Your surname Add a note (optional)
Your IP address will be logged
ShareClose Diggreddit Google Bookmarks Twitter del.icio.us StumbleUpon Newsvine livejournal Facebook Mixx it! Contact usClose Report errors or inaccuracies: userhelp@guardian.co.uk Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard:
+44 (0)20 3353 2000 Advertising guide License/buy our content World newsIraq · Middle East EnvironmentWater ScienceAgriculture More commentMore from Comment is free onWorld newsIraq · Middle East EnvironmentWater ScienceAgriculture Related
4 Feb 2009Graham Harvey: We should grow crops and keep cows in Green Park
15 Jan 2009Climate change could be slowed by planting crop varieties that reflect more sunlight, claim food scientists
22 Nov 2008Rich countries launch great land grab to safeguard food supply
11 Jun 2008Esther Addley visits what will be Britain's biggest greenhouse site.
Printable versionSend to a friendShareClipContact usArticle history
EmailClose Recipient's email address Your first name Your surname Add a note (optional)
Your IP address will be logged
ShareClose Diggreddit Google Bookmarks Twitter del.icio.us StumbleUpon Newsvine livejournal Facebook Mixx it!
Contact usClose Report errors or inaccuracies: userhelp@guardian.co.uk Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard:
+44 (0)20 3353 2000 Advertising guide License/buy our content
About this articleClose Iraq's forgotten crisis | James DenselowThis article was first published on guardian.co.uk at 15.00 BST on Saturday 18 July 2009. It was last updated at 15.00 BST on Saturday 18 July 2009. Most viewed on guardian.co.uk24 hours 7 days Most talked about 24 hours1. Ashes: England v Australia - day two as it happened | Rob Smyth and Andy Bull 2. Ashes: England v Australia - day three as it happened | Sean Ingle and Rob Smyth 3. Pepper-spray defence means South Africa robbers face loss of balance at cash machines 4. The Joy of Six: Great team goals | Rob Smyth 5. Swarms of carnivorous giant flying squid terrorise southern Californian coast More top stories 7 days1. Ashes: England v Australia - day two as it happened | Rob Smyth and Andy Bull 2. Ashes: England v Australia - day five as it happened | Rob Smyth 3. Ashes: England v Australia - day one as it happened | Andy Bull and Rob Smyth 4. Ashes: England v Australia - day three as it happened | Sean Ingle and Rob Smyth 5. Twitter is not for teens, Morgan Stanley told by 15-year-old expert More top stories Most talked about
{for blog_item in blogs}
{/if}>
${parseInt(blog_item_index) + 1}.
${blog_item.article.title}
(${blog_item.linkcount}{if blog_item_index == 0} technorati links{/if})
{/for}
1. Rafsanjani leads Friday prayers (11 technorati links)
2. Cash machine thieves face pepper spray in SA (11)
3. Peter Bradshaw | Films in high-definition TV? It's as barmy as Sky's billboards (9)
4. The words of God do not justify cruelty to women (
5. British veteran of first world war dies at 113 (7)
More
Today's rising blog posts from
Gadgets from the Guardian shop Radio Controlled Talking WatchDesigned in association with the RNIB, this watch is accurate to 1 second in a million years.
From: £44.95
Browse more technology productsVisit the Guardian reader offers shopcomment is free…Latest posts 6hr 42min ago Pakistan to register 'third sex' hijras Basim Usmani: A court ruling follows a bid to improve life for Pakistan's impoverished transgender, transvestite and eunuch community 21 comments 7hr 42min ago Ski jumping: not for ladies? Georgina Turner: Female ski jumpers already use the same hills as men. So why can't they compete in the Winter Olympics?
53 commentsComment from the paperCherie Booth: Africa's obstruction of justice
Polly Toynbee: These signs of life won't quicken Labour's heartbeat
Julian Baggini: Without fear of trespass
Free P&P at the Guardian bookshop Log from the Sea of Cortez£14.99 with free UK delivery Wrong Kind of Snow£9.99 with free UK deliveryBrowse the bestsellers lists Buy books from the Guardian Bookshop Latest news on guardian.co.uk
NewsBritish first world war veteran dies at 113SportEngland v Australia: Day threeComment is freeThese signs of life won't quicken Labour's heartbeatSponsored features UK USA UK Browse all jobs
Green Spaces Development Managerrotherham mbc. rotherham. £31,439 - £34,207 pa.
Head of Housing and Public Protectionlondon borough of havering. havering. Up to £92,000.
Senior Policy Adviser (s)department of energy and climate change. london. £31,771 - £38,821.
USA Browse all jobs
{for result in results}
${result.jobtitle}
${ result.snippet }
${ result.state }
{/for}
Medical Science Liaison 5152009 on the market environment, promotional and clinical... with recognized experts/Key Opinion Leaders in Science and/or Medicine is required. Experience working... IL
Sales Manager training, excellent benefits, competitive compensation and a positive working environment. We're headquartered in Wichita, Kansas with offices in Topeka, KS... KS
Specimen Accessioner a High School Diploma or equivalent w/1-2 years of experience in lab environment along with solid data entry skills preferred. Must be willing and available to... KS
jobs by
Ads by GoogleNew Honda Insight HybridBecome a more efficient driver at the touch of a button. Learn more.
www.honda.com
Top 10 Antivirus SoftwareRead Reviews and Compare the Top 10 Antivirus Software of 2009.
2009SoftwareReviews.net
Iraqi Dinar in Texas$48.50 for 25,000 Iraqi dinars Credit cards & COD accepted
www.DinarProfits.com
Related informationWorld newsIraq · Middle East EnvironmentWater ScienceAgriculture More from Comment is free onWorld newsIraq · Middle East EnvironmentWater ScienceAgriculture
'If there is no water, the Chipaya have no life'
24 Apr 2009:
Rory Carroll speaks to members of the Uru Chipaya tribe, whose lifestyle in the Bolivian Andes is being threatened by the effects of global warming
More video
27 Apr 2008A genetic gamble?
28 Mar 2008Study links Parkinson's to pesticide exposure
3 Jul 2007Humans use or abuse quarter of all energy from plants
28 Oct 2006Fighting poverty
Snowdonian farm becomes National treasure
13 Nov 2008:
A National Trust campaign to Save Snowdon launched 10 years ago is thriving
More galleries
License/buy our content | Privacy policy | Terms & conditions | Advertising guide | Accessibility | A-Z index | Inside guardian.co.uk blog | About guardian.co.uk | Join our dating site today
guardian.co.uk
Guardian News and Media Limited 2009