Baghdad – IA – Hendren Makki
Today, Saturday, the Ministry of Environment set three conditions for preserving biodiversity in Iraq, while confirming that ecosystems in Iraq are exposed to many threats.
The Director General of the Technical Department in the Ministry, Najla Mohsen Al-Waeli, told the (INA): “Biodiversity is necessary for human life, directly or indirectly, as direct uses include aspects such as food, medicine, and multiple biological uses, while indirect uses include Ecosystem services such as regulating the atmosphere, water cycle, nutrients, industrial raw materials, etc.
Al-Waeli added, “Biodiversity plays an effective role in providing various genetic resources for agriculture, which are important for the vital basis of global food security and supporting human life,” stressing that “Ecosystems in Iraq provide a wide range of services to humans living in both urban and rural environments.” .
She pointed out that “Ecosystems and biodiversity in Iraq are exposed to many threats, such as climate change, water scarcity, high temperatures, and scarcity of rain, which have led to the deterioration of ecosystems and their biodiversity.”
She continued, “One of the most important reasons for the decline in biodiversity is the loss, fragmentation, and isolation of habitats. For example, the Mesopotamian marshes lost more than 90% of their original area due to the water diversion policy during the eighties and nineties. The increase in the amount of greenhouse gases represents the main factor in the occurrence of Global warming phenomenon.
She pointed out that “efforts to preserve biological diversity require registration and documentation of species, reference classification of local organisms, genetic conservation, as well as the declaration and registration of reserves, in addition to legislation and laws related to the protection of biological diversity.”