Iraq’s al-Sadr urges action on water crisis
Shafaq News – Najaf
Iraqi Patriotic Shiite Movement (Sadrist) leader Muqtada al-Sadr on Friday called for urgent action to shield Iraq’s water resources from pollution as water levels have fallen to their lowest point since the 1930s.
On X, al-Sadr described the crisis as “a humanitarian matter that cannot be ignored,” warning that concerns over contamination are mounting alongside chronic power shortages.
He tagged the post with the slogan, written in Arabic, “Save Iraq’s Water from Pollution,” urging politicians to end “misinformation and smear tactics.”
— مقتدى السيد محمد الصدر (@Mu_AlSadr) September 5, 2025
The Ministry of Water Resources confirmed in July that reserves have collapsed due to shrinking inflows from upstream countries and the worsening effects of climate change, making 2025 one of the driest years since 1933 and prompting provinces to issue health alerts and launch campaigns against waterborne diseases.
Iraq ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, struggling with declining rainfall and dam projects in Turkiye and Iran that have cut flows in the Tigris and Euphrates, while the United Nations lists Iraq among the five countries most exposed to climate change.
A 2022 World Bank report urged Iraq to adopt a sustainable development model, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and diversify its economy, estimating that $233 billion in investments by 2040—around 6% of annual GDP—will be required to close infrastructure gaps and adapt to climate threats.
The Iraqi Strategic Center for Human Rights reported that climate change has already erased nearly 30% of Iraq’s arable land over the past three decades.
