What is it about?
This article is about trans-boundary rivers between Iran and Iraq. The rivers are under real threat by the water construction projects in Iran. One threat had materialised on the Alwand River; it dried up. It caused huge damage to the farmlands and people in and around the city of Khanaqin. Another threat is unfolding on a greater river, Sirwan, which will have far greater consequences for the people living in the North East of Iraqi Kurdistan and Iraq in general.
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Why is it important?
Our findings are that the Iraqi government failed to securitise the dried-up Alwand river but the political situation in Baghdad in 2008 and later lead to the politicisation of the issue; a partial solution to the problem. However, taking into consideration the political situation in Iraqi Kurdistan and in Baghdad now one can conclude that there will not be a similar solution to the problem of the Sirwan River.
Perspectives
The Iraqi Government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil must join their efforts and develop urgent plans to address the problems the rivers coming from Iran are currently facing. Sirwan River is expected to dry up next year and many other rivers coming from Iran as well thanks to the under-construction water projects in Iran. The region and Iraq as a whole are under real environmental threat and the consequences will be great unless urgent actions are taken.
Salam Abdulrahman
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Failure to securitise environmental problems in Iraq: the case of the Alwand and Sirwan Rivers, International Journal of Environmental Studies, May 2017, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/00207233.2017.1330493.
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