Baghdad air quality improves as monitoring expands

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq has recorded a decline in air pollution levels in Baghdad as the Environment Ministry works to expand its air quality monitoring network nationwide, Environment Ministry Technical Undersecretary Jawad al-Jubouri told Shafaq News on Saturday.

He said the ministry currently operates online monitoring stations in the capital and plans to extend the network to all Iraqi provinces, citing its legal authority to monitor pollution sources and track environmental violations across the country.

Despite the reported decline, air pollution remains a concern in several parts of Baghdad, particularly during the summer, with the ministry facing criticism over its oversight of pollution sources, he said.

Iraq scored 26.6 points in the 2026 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), ranking 166th globally and second-lowest among Arab countries included in the index, according to data published by World Population Review.

Read more: The cost of filth: Iraq among the world’s most polluted nations