A Five Year Road Map for Iraq Environmental Management and Development

A Five Year Road Map for Iraq Environmental Management and Development

1. Introduction

The environmental degradation in Iraq is a crisis resulting from the long history of wars and acts of commission and omission taken by humans. These include policies of diversion of water from the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers to the construction of dams in upstream countries, allied to wars and sabotage of some of these dams. The consequences of this degradation are depletion of water tables due to overuse of groundwater, salinization of soils, damage to the water system, and structural damage to buildings and infrastructure due to salts. Ignoring this and allowing further degradation will lead to an Iraq to which people do not want to return or in which they do not want to continue to live. The Five Years Road Map presents a series of high-priority actions and a plan to stabilize the conditions of the natural and human-planted resource systems. It recognizes that recovery to a better future will necessarily take much longer and that the deepening of democracy will also help in the management of the recovery to a future development path. The strategic content of the plan is based on environmental economics, finding that the intrinsic qualifications of an activity that makes it suitable for economic valuation are the satisfaction of three conditions: that the service provided by the environmental system to people consist of support, regulation, information, and values to persons' experience or observers; that these services are limited in their ability to provide.

2. Current Environmental Challenges in Iraq

After the regime of Saddam, the Ministry of Environment in Iraq finds it a necessity to redefine its vision and objectives in different dimensions of its work and to provide a clear guide document for the operational plans along the coming five years. This document aims at providing this roadmap by identifying principal environmental threats and problems, as well as their root causes, and developing a sustainable plan of work that can be considered over the coming five years. In both stages, the Ministry staff and the concerned authorities and governors have been involved. The identification parts of the plan were based on several documents and reports developed by the Ministry.

After the regime of Saddam, Iraq was left with many environmental problems, littered cities, poor infrastructure, and massive pollution in the air, land, and water. This was the result of the poor management of the country's resources, and the last Iraqi dictator was said to be interested in building military infrastructure, especially after the destruction of 2003. Despite the current work of the Ministry of Environment to change the status for the better, with the support of market forces, those forces may damage rather than achieve the sustained utilization of Iraq's resources. Their work could reflect a bounded role for the Ministry and could undermine its control under environmental legislation. Throughout the coming five years, there should be an increasing ability of the Ministry of Environment in the different aspects of its role.

3. Legal Framework and Policy for Environmental Management

The legal framework for environmental protection and management in Iraq is an essential element in the process of achieving environmentally sound development. This framework must put in place various effective and efficient policies and laws and encourage institutional reform in government relating to the environment. Therefore, it is essential to review the present legal framework to make it effective in protecting the environment and to address the critical environmental problems in Iraq. The Supreme Commission for Environmental Policy was established by the Council of Ministers; it oversees the implementation of the Iraqi Environmental Policy and suggests the necessary modifications to develop it. Finally, the development of the legislation must be directly under the court’s eye. The court is responsible for enforcing, on the one hand, the law, and on the other hand, providing protection for the environment.

The need for extensive reform in the field of legislation to overhaul Iraq's environmental laws remains a priority. Thousands of Iraqi laws and regulations are in place to date, and many are unrelated to changing economic and political conditions after 2003, when the coalition's provisional authority abolished Iraqi laws that did not conform with its program. Despite the multitude of these existing laws, many other Iraqi laws require further reinforcement, reform, and addition, thus introducing the complexity of law enforcement as well as the need for cooperation both at the local and international levels to combat environmental degradation and to incorporate new eco-friendly technologies.

4. Key Stakeholders and Partnerships

Both the Iraqi public and government institutions are stakeholders in Iraq's environmental management network and have special roles and responsibilities related to the interfaces with the surrounding international environment. In this network, the government plays a central role in the planning and management of environmental activities. Its role is specifically identified in strategic plans, policies, regulations, and legislation, as well as in the management leadership and implementation activities necessary to achieve the goals identified in these plans. The government has specific roles and responsibilities that are detailed in the system of laws; they can draw on their long history of policies, regulations, and regional environmental initiatives.

The government has jurisdiction over the portion of the environment subject to regulation, including uses, emissions, and discharges from private sector industrial activity, and other activities such as mining. The responsibility for environmental management in Iraq is not a new concept, and Iraq has also been involved with policies, programs, and regulations for environmental management and the rational use of natural resources. The government, as well as other government institutions, nongovernment organizations, community institutions, regional partners, and Iraqi society in general, could return to the practice of environmental management undertaken under the government institutions' current portfolio of environmental protection activities, including gaining compliance with the existing body of policies.

5. Capacity Building and Training Programs

Planning and implementing training programs, continuing education for environmental professionals, and enhancing public awareness are among the most important instruments that should be included as a first action in the national environmental action programs. In this Act, the General Organization for Environmental Studies will take responsibility, together with the Iraqi professional societies, genuine scientific research centers, and universities, to: 1. Develop training curricula and materials suitable for tertiary, secondary, and primary educational levels. Such curricula will help in spreading environmental ethics, environmental education, environmental awareness, and the respective professions to all Iraqis who are concerned in any way with environmental protection and enhancement in the country. 2. Organize, from time to time, local professional symposia to help these above-mentioned essentials, especially among professionals working in the governmental and non-governmental sectors. 3. Identify the needed specialized training fields, prepare action plans for the implementation of the needed training courses, and conduct these courses through the General Organization for Environmental Studies at the academy. Special facilities will be included in such plans for the employees of the environmental departments at the local governments.

6. Technological Innovations and Best Practices

An inventory of key environmentally sound technologies will be carried out. This will identify existing technologies directly related to environmental improvement in the primary sectors. Anticipated innovations and environmentally sound technologies can also be explored, especially in the area of hazardous waste management. Wetland restoration will concentrate on restoring gardens and replanting native and valuable species. The health hazards of the area are constantly monitored. A high-efficiency physical and biological treatment unit for industrial wastewater will be constructed and operated. The technologies for the treatment of contaminated soil will be monitored. These include bioremediation, pump and treatment, and removal of the contaminated soil for treatment off-site.

The project has achieved management authorization. Industry will be supported in adopting these approaches. In addition to improving operations in clay brick plants, the project will explore opportunities for fuel and clay rationalization based on promoted and encouraged environmental stewardship. The results of the project could be capitalized in other brick plants through training and extending the best practices developed. Agencies for environmental investment promotion will be involved in the transfer of environmental technologies and best practices through procurement contracts for the repair and reconstruction activities. These companies have already demonstrated the ability to deliver solutions effectively. Support has been indicated for this new approach, and there is agreement that only seeing is believing.

7. Water Resource Management

The management of Iraq's water resources for providing water for the environment, agriculture, irrigation, fishery, drinking consumption, industrial use, and transport is the objective of the water supply services. Water resource strategy is not a technical operation such as the supply of safe water, or a financing matter such as payment for the cost of the water supply services and operation. The water sector has its unique characteristics related to its social, political, and cultural dimensions, and needs integrative complex planning gradually by steps, including the technical, social, human resources, legal, and public awareness in conjunction with the variety of investment and operations of the resources, dividing the performance of policies and strong financial support, investment, and administration of water services programs mutually within the sustainable development framework. Therefore, this section aims to review the main guidelines for Iraq's water resource management, irrigation technology, water drawing and intake systems, safety operation storage facilities, sedimentation management, and crop patterns.

7.1 Main Guidelines for Iraq Water Resource Management There are widespread problems of over-abstraction and pollution in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and in some of the tribal marshes. The Tigris suffers from eutrophication problems due to discharges from various towns. The Shatt Al-Arab, formed from the confluence of the Euphrates and Tigris, is also subject to significant pollution, especially due to oil industry effluents. Sulfur dioxide, methyl bromate, methyl chloride, chlorine, formic acid, neutral acrylate, and glycol are the main components of petrochemicals. The impact of accidental chemical spills from petrochemical and palm waste effluents on water quality and benthos is also significant within this area. The status of water and the environment in Iraq, with special reference to the rivers suffering from engineering projects, is presented in various chapters by investigating related fields in this study. Measures to control discharges and the likely effects of a moratorium are then discussed, taking into account the changes that have occurred in the industries over the last years.

8. Waste Management and Recycling Programs

According to the Iraqi Environmental Protection Law, Article 12: 1. The ministry and competent environmental institutions must take appropriate measures to reduce and recycle waste substances and allocate special sites for public industrial waste after their transformation, handling, and solidification. 2. They must provide necessary measures to close the farming and dumping of waste if it exposes health or measures recognized by a specialized scientific organization of a major polluter. 3. They must allocate suitable lands for the establishment of waste recycling, dead livestock disposal, and similar operations by determining their nature and the suitable means associated with their proper disposal. 4. They must hold specialized training and development courses for workers in the environment regarding the collection, transport, and treatment of dangerous products in the field of environmental safety. 5. They must assist in the education and development of awareness programs for the public in the field of environmental protection and pollution and inform the public of the methods and means used in waste cleaning and disposal.

Coordination and control of the environmental organizations are required to solve these problems through a high partnership between the government and the private sector to create laws and regulations that support such efforts. According to the Iraqi Environmental Protection Law, Article 5, it is required that all environmental activities are under the control of the central government at the regional level. Additionally, plastic banners, paper materials, and other solid waste exceed the capacity of the local government to manage. The following rules must be imposed on the private sector to clarify their responsibilities in protecting the environment under the control of the central government: The private sector is authorized to contract with any national governmental institutions or with the private sector in areas such as data collection, type analysis, building, IT training, and other research topics that may be requested to solve problems.

9. Air Quality and Pollution Control Measures

The main causes of the very poor air quality in Baghdad and many other Iraqi cities in the dry months are heavy traffic, particularly articulated lorries, localized industrial activities, and the low rate of dust deposition. The major pollutant is the respirable particulates from these sources. This chapter is concerned with the monitoring and forecasting of industrial air emissions, pollution monitoring and analysis, and preventive measures that could be taken to reduce pollution problems. It is also concerned with the possible future use of ventilation air methane.

An inventory is required for the location and type of industrial air pollution sources. Monitoring pollution should extend to areas potentially at risk. Monitoring systems should be built in existing pollution monitoring stations in Baghdad, Mosul, Basrah, and other areas where industrial development has been considered. The legislation and enforcement by the appropriate government bodies should be in place for pollution control, and health and safety requirements must be enforced on existing and future industries. Requirements are identified for airborne pollution monitoring on military facilities. Computer-based models using industrial sites, geographic position, and meteorological data should be integrated with pollution monitoring to forecast pollution conditions. The forecast information should be used to avoid, modify, or minimize the impact on the health of the local population regarding the adverse effects of air pollution. The addition to global climatic change through the use of high sulfur content fuels and the risks of accidents result in the requirement for separation of the air intakes for all ventilation and air conditioning systems from all pollution sources outside the building. Access can be controlled, filters may be required, and sites shall be visible from a control room.

10. Biodiversity Conservation and Protected Areas

It is sustainable to accord protected area status to all remaining habitats of the key species and their associated ecosystems. Unfortunately, the Iraq nature conservation network is still a long way from being comprehensive. Deciding which areas merit protected area status is difficult, and not only biological criteria but also social, economic, and political criteria should play an integral part of a future protected area system. Legislation on the classification and management of protected areas is available but carries no weight in court. Responsibility for managing protected areas across Iraq is dispersed, and funding is generally inadequate. There is little awareness or appreciation of conservation biology principles among those responsible for land-use decisions. Conflict is inherent between the interests of local communities and conservation authorities, but it does not have to mean that a protected area system will fail to attract local support.

Despite these problems with the current protected area system, the potential for restoring Iraq's terrestrial wild fauna is as high as it ever will be. There is a wildlife resource that could provide an important local communication role in the environmental debate if positive examples of nature conservation in Iraq could be identified. Data on Eastern Iraq's wildlife resources are underlined by a priority for biological surveys focusing on species diversity and ecosystem status analysis. The necessity to protect nature from future destruction by associated problems of detection and deterrence is also highlighted with an assessment of the illegal animal trade. Providing knowledge does not mean knowledge will be used in an appropriate manner. Working from the premise that hard decisions will always be needed in wildlife management, a review of proposed decision-making processes applicable to conflict scenarios is also outlined. Iraq is a country that has suffered from years of conflict and sanctions. Most Iraqis just want to live in peace. What goes on in the rest of the world that might undermine this wish is of limited concern to them, hence, as long as future environmental impacts are low.

Long-term success in support of environmental management at any level will necessitate that the trust of the local population is earned. This, of course, will be in addition to the good, clear vision of how, where, and why Iraq's natural resources must be managed in the coming years. Because participative environmental management means more than just asking the man in the street if he is in support of a clearly prejudged course of action. Only through open, socially inclusive processes will a national vision be accepted. The encouraging signals of environmental respect and sustainable hope contained within the pages of Iraq's current environmental policies cannot flourish without listening closely to the wishes of those dependent on Iraq's fragile environmental resources. Peace is fragile. Iraq's wildlife and people have already suffered for far too long. From being the cradle of civilization, Iraq has recently been seen as the cradle of destruction. Peace offers Iraq the opportunity to reemerge as one of the greatest natural and semi-natural landscapes in the world. Such opportunities do not come around very often.

11. Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies

Challenges, requirements, and mitigation barriers are of strategic complexity in addressing climate change. Given that, in complying with CEAA, a scoping exercise on climate change policies and mechanisms, combined with discussions and focus groups with the Ministry of Planning, the Ministry of Environment and Irrigation, the Joint Coordination Committee, the Academy of Sciences, and research institutes, relevant ministries, and other groups, regarding the current and future possible implications and impacts of climate change on Iraq's economic development strategy for 50-year horizons, turned to convince that Iraq has no obligation to contribute to the reduction of GHG and that the country should concentrate at this stage on the repatriation and rehabilitation of strategic infrastructure while raising awareness and noting the strategic beneficial applications mainly in the hydro forensic area.

A weak institutional, economic, and technological base does not have the proper R&D or incentives and other capabilities required to initiate the process of strategizing and rational considerations of how and what the country can do in minimizing and not creating future related problems and misfortunes in that regard. In 2000, Iraq began work on a National Capacity Self-Assessment under Agenda 21 support in addressing the present and future implications of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on the most vulnerable sectors such as water, agriculture, renewable energy, and coastal areas. Nevertheless, the drafting and ratifying process of legislative policies and strategies measures for addressing climate change implications and matching actions has not started yet. The Ministry of Environment, in partnership with other ministries and institutions, needs to take adequate action in this area.

12. Public Awareness and Education Campaigns

Public awareness is one of the important tools for the Ministry to popularize the environmental concept and the importance of its preservation. Public awareness includes publications in the local dailies and broadcasting that are educational and related to environmental issues. The Ministry has established an editorial staff for the publication of a family environmental magazine highlighting various environmental issues. Other publications include information brochures, pamphlets, and posters describing the activities of the Ministry and the environmental situation in Iraq. The Ministry plans to issue the State of the Environment in Iraq every two years to provide an environmental profile for the country, assist in the collection and dissemination of environmental statistics, and serve as a database for future State of the Environment reports. To consolidate the awareness programs, the Ministry will also consider environmental subjects in the textbooks at different academic stages.

Public participation is an essential factor for successful environmental planning and management to ensure that policies, international assistance, programs, and projects are more representative. The opportunities for input that members of the public might have provided in other countries were often channeled through organized and formal channels such as professional or scientific bodies, environmental interest groups, and non-governmental organizations. However, there is very limited membership in such groups in Iraq, and in the absence of a tradition for public consultation, the effectiveness of such channels is questionable. The idea of public participation does gain some acceptability in the formal procedures of public consultation adopted by other regulatory authorities. However, enhancing public awareness of environmental issues is one of the main activities of environmental management. Such aspects need more improvement and strengthening of policies either through the channel of NGOs or other ways.

13. Economic Opportunities and Green Jobs

The dual economic and environmental objectives of investment in the environment can come together in the idea of a green economy, which seeks to promote poverty reduction, food security, energy security, and ensure that everyone has access to green jobs. In this context, investment in the environment not only avoids locking in carbon but also supports economic growth and seeks wide-reaching and lasting impacts. This investment includes climate action and the delivery of benefits such as better air and water quality, waste management, and energy security. The creation of green jobs, the switch to the allocation of resources within the transition to low-carbon growth, and a sustainable future are at the heart of a new climate agenda. Environmental management not only benefits the environment; it also benefits public health, regional development, and job creation. Green jobs are, by definition, not only environmentally friendly but also meet primary criteria involving decent wages and working conditions. Green jobs include the upgrading, expansion, and implementation of measures and rewards that workers are involved in to invest in the green economy. Such steps include the shift to renewable energy sources from fossil fuels and the substantial improvement of energy efficiency. The challenges posed by climate change can be seen as opportunities to foster growth in certain sectors, such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, conservation of natural resources, and sustainable agriculture. This shift is not an economic woe but an environmental transition. The growth of environmentally friendly jobs, whether a direct or indirect result of regulation, opens up unique opportunities to create new and valuable clean technology. The green economy will create opportunities through increased socialization, innovation, and greening of conventional lines of work.

14. International Cooperation and Funding Opportunities

The environment sector needs immediate international support, enabling Iraq to fulfill its obligations under the United Nations Security Act Section 1407 and meet the requirements of the constitution of Iraq. Donors were instrumental in providing Iraq with war recovery funds. Solidarity actions have been taken by the international community. In accordance with those initiatives, the resources made available to Iraq under international, multilateral, regional, bilateral, or trilateral frameworks, or any other types of financial, economic, or technical assistance are to be mobilized to ensure that the objectives are achieved.

Iraq, with the guidance and support of the international community, assumes a commitment to return to the community these funds by means of the allocation of the funds required in the financing plan to guarantee the continuity of the activities, by also applying these funds to revive the local economy and to promote investment, training, and employment. The main means of achieving donor coordination is the Iraq Donor Board established in 2006. In the framework of development cooperation and to grant access to the funding alignments listed in this chapter, the cooperation can also be verified within the Iraqi Trust Fund Framework Paper and the IDP Assistance Plan or any other instrument or multi-annual programs. Italy has ratified a letter of intent and cooperation agreement on November 5, 2009.

15. Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanisms

The implementation of this road map to improve environmental governance in Iraq is linked to a strong and rigorous monitoring and evaluation system to ensure that planned objectives are implemented efficiently and effectively. Anticipating and solving potential problems, observing effectiveness and efficiency, and preventing any deviation or mistakes need well-structured mechanisms to monitor activities. An evaluation is a judgment of an existing status as compared to a standard. Monitoring and evaluation together create a feedback loop that links project inputs, outputs, and outcomes.

The administrations need to use monitoring and evaluation as a management tool to ensure that every activity gets completed on time, every document finds its way to the place it is supposed to be, every dollar is spent effectively and ethically, and all objectives remain consistent with the mission of the project. Monitoring is not a passive process. It requires asking difficult questions, being honest about the answers, and making certain all process measurements are put in place to keep the project on track. These checks and balances guarantee that the project remains congruent with the needs of the stakeholders, the environment, the organization, and its customers. Used correctly, evaluation forges a direct link between the stated objectives and sound management of resources and staffing to accomplish and measure results.

16. Year 1: Setting the Foundation

A five-year road map for Iraq's environmental management and development, with a real sustainable model, is a necessary plan for present and future environmental dynamic problems in Iraq. This plan would be a national commitment document that fully integrates governmental and non-governmental major activities and focuses on critical environmental issues and potential solutions that, if not addressed, will hinder Iraq's social and economic development. The plan proposes an initial program of $1 billion per year for five years, which will be provided from international donations, loans, and government budgets, to support Iraq in its endeavor to achieve a better management and institutional framework and ownership conditions for institutionalized governmental and non-governmental agricultural and environmental sustainable development organizations and communities. Moreover, the first year should focus on setting the foundation that includes improvements in areas of importance for Iraqis, with seven actions that are considered essential elements of a national commitment necessary for achieving significant progress toward an environment in Iraq that will be healthy for all of the country's residents. The second year should focus on creating the framework for enabling the two conditions that could integrate and sustain the broader environmental room in their respective structures and activities. The third year should focus on extending the enabling conditions to represent the broad environmental community. The fourth year should focus on strengthening and institutionalizing the conditions to integrate and sustain Iraq's environmental dynamic by setting the seed for the environmental management organization and community. The fifth year should focus on a system that links research findings with public health and environmental policy and decision-making.

17. Year 2: Strengthening Institutional Capacities

In the second year, it is proposed to focus on institutional capacity building initiatives while continuing efforts in content area project work. Increased institution and human resource development should enable institutions to benefit from the Year 1 initiatives and to build the capacity to successfully carry on with the programs in subsequent years. Activities during Year 2 concentrate on capacity building and preferably establishing the required environment to ensure institutional effectiveness. The analysis of institutional needs and priorities is particularly important during this phase in order to ensure that training prioritizes actual need and is well integrated with other necessary institutional strengthening tools. This approach will target immediately eliminating perceived institutional gaps and emphasizes the creation of an enabling management environment. 17.1 Specific Institutional Capacity Building Initiatives During the second year of the Five Year Roadmap, it is proposed to concentrate capacity development and institutional activities in four main pillars: human resources, institutional structures, regulatory and policy framework, and stakeholder collaboration and partnership. These developmental characteristics are strategic building blocks aiming at increasing the environmental management capacity in Iraq. The following actions are discussed in support of this approach.

18. Year 3: Implementing Pilot Projects

The government official should now be convinced that computer data and base mapping should be available. People at the political levels, the decision makers, and the man in the street must now start to see some tangible results or at least results in sight. For this purpose, all kinds of pilot projects should be started to test the means available. National profit from these pilots will result, on the one hand, in the lessons learned, to be used in replication all over the country, and on the other hand, in the sensitization of people to apply these systems on a much wider scale. Once some pollution control results are observed, considerable tax money could eventually be used for financing a national strategy and action plan. Some eight Environmental Impact Assessments and Project Approval Zones may have been developed for the bigger projects that have become a priority after this year. All the plans, Environmental Assessments, and management systems of years 2 and 3 must now be operational and properly inscribed in additional national legislation as necessary.

All the Awareness and Training pilots and cement training on environmental management, both for teachers and students, will continue. In addition, the hourly teaching material and short stay computer training should be ready for distribution before the start of the next year. A short stay advanced Educational Development Management teacher training course, conducted in the region for a mixed group of chosen teachers in the country concerned, may also be considered.

19. Year 4: Scaling Up Successful Initiatives

While Iraq faces the daunting task of starting from virtually the beginning in environmental management and development, implementing the first years of this road makes scaling up relatively easy in Year 4. Encourage all government departments and non-governmental organizations to scale up successful initiatives once they prove themselves in Year 3. Outreach to all other stakeholders and the international community for joint post-conflict efforts in environmental management and development is accelerated in Year 4. In Year 4, Iraq's natural, cultural, and political landscapes under the best preservation practices are clearly evident. Iraq’s momentum in environmental management and development becomes self-sustaining. Encourage government departments through training and dissemination of best practices to scale up their environmental and economic development policies. Key incentives drive private enterprises to implement policies that not only protect or preserve the environment but also create sustainable jobs and income-producing initiatives without relying on subsidies. For this to happen, businesses must realize financial gain by benefiting the nation and the environment. Both government bodies and businesses must use good housekeeping practices to instill those same habits in the general population. Since large projects more frequently have the greatest benefit on environmental quality and damage, large responsible companies are encouraged to invest their time, equipment, and management expertise in every region of Iraq.

20. Year 5: Sustainability and Future Directions

1. Summary. Important steps are achieved in the last 5 years; for the New Year, the environmental following up is summarized and some activities related to the future establishment conditions are suggested. 2. Environmental Management. Those previous activities related to the establishment of environmental management system together with environmental audits are checked for understanding about continual improvement, prevention of pollution, compliance with the legislation and environmentally leading activities. 3. Environmental Leading Activities. Difficult periods are the best way for the establishment of the leading targets and the cultural environment necessary to receive commitment and teamwork from all stakeholders. Treat this new period together with them. 4. Environmental Technology Advancement and Human and Science Development. Local or international producer or service supplier should go through comprehensive and dynamic inner and outer environmental challenges. Exploit the leader inside you to achieve environmental technology is listed. Environmental technology plus skill management qualification demonstrate strong company. 5. Cultural Environment Necessary. Develop effective teamwork by continuous training for the environmental actions of the stakeholders, demonstrating the importance of their contribution for the new targets established. Encourage the atmosphere protection motivation and develop effective communication with all stakeholder. Transfer responsibility and delegation for the environmental management to key professionals.

Summary

This environmental strategy is a five-year action plan for the development and reform of the Iraqi environment and its management. During the life of the strategy, significant changes will have taken place in the operation and scope of Iraqi environmental management. During this time, important guidance for development will also be provided, including environmental assessment guidance as well as standards and criteria for emission and pollution control. The main focus of action during this strategy will be on spreading these changes to reach not only every ministry but also every province, district, and city throughout the country. The main activities will be to strengthen and broaden the scope of a national environmental institution called the Iraqi Ministry of Environment.

The concept addresses the needs for improvement of environmental management by focusing on community participation as well as engineering input for the development of actions in connection with water and sanitation through the use of a participatory environmental management approach. Its purpose is to delineate the action needed and clarify the roles for the various stakeholders to ensure environmentally sustainable socio-economic development. Prompt action is needed because much valuable time has been lost under the former government. Large parts of the country have been damaged due to overexploitation and environmental neglect. Chapter 1 outlines the scope of the action required in this area and the program of action to be adopted and implemented. Let us all make sure the needed change happens and the people in Iraq get the environmental and health protection service they need and deserve. Let us all take the action needed to approve and carry out positive changes. Yes, we can do it!

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