Iraq Faces Water Scarcity Due to Over-Extraction and Climate Change

Iraq has withdrawn 120% of its internal renewable freshwater, falling below the 1,000 cubic meter per person scarcity line. Agriculture accounts for 73% of withdrawals, primarily through inefficient flood irrigation. The country's water supply is also affected by infrastructure in Turkey and Iran, which is not governed by a binding allocation agreement. Climate change has exacerbated the situation, with rising temperatures increasing evaporative losses and irrigation requirements. The United Nations has identified Iraq as one of the five countries most vulnerable to climate change, with water being the primary channel of vulnerability. To address the issue, the Enlil Center for Environment and Sustainable Development has identified four policy priorities: institutionalised technical water diplomacy, volumetric pricing of irrigation water, reduction of urban network losses, and a statutory ecological flow for the southern marshes.