Kurdistan advances Green Belt project with Dutch cooperation
Shafaq News – Erbil
Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw reviewed on Sunday with the Netherlands’ acting consul in the Kurdistan Region, Adrian Ayselstein, the progress on the Green Belt initiative—an environmental project set to encircle the provincial capital with millions of trees as part of efforts to combat climate change.
A statement from the governor’s office said the meeting also discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly in agriculture, environment, and sustainable development.
Khoshnaw presented the stages of the Green Belt’s implementation, describing it as a strategic project under Erbil’s master urban plan. The initiative, he said, consists of eight designated zones, with work already underway in one of them. The plan also includes the creation of ten water-retention ponds and large-scale planting of olive and pistachio trees.
According to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the Green Belt aims to absorb up to 210,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually once completed, expand the city’s green spaces, and reduce dust storms and soil erosion.
The Netherlands is supporting the initiative through technical expertise, funding, and partnerships with Dutch companies and organizations such as HollandDoor.
