Environmental campaign targets pollution in Iraq’s Dhi Qar marshes

Shafaq News- Dhi Qar

Environmental activists launched an awareness campaign on Friday in the marshlands of Al-Chibayish district in Dhi Qar province, southern Iraq, to promote water conservation and reduce pollution.

The campaign coincided with a surge in tourist arrivals and involved distributing awareness leaflets to boat operators and visitors, urging them not to dump waste into the water given its impact on the environment and the natural landscape of the marshes. Volunteers took part in the initiative, with support from the Dhi Qar municipality, which handled waste collection and transport to designated landfill sites.

According to the head of the Green Cane Organization, Ali Al-Ahwari, the initiative focuses on reducing plastic waste in the marshes due to its negative impact on the environment and tourism. He warned that waste accumulation could reduce tourist activity, as seen in other sites that authorities closed due to pollution.

Manar Majed Hameed, a member of the organization, told Shafaq News that “the campaign is part of ongoing efforts to raise environmental awareness among residents and tourists.” She noted that maintaining the cleanliness of the marshes is a shared responsibility that requires cooperation, including collecting waste after visits and disposing of it properly.

Dhi Qar Environment Director Muwaffaq Hamed Khudair said that the campaign is part of awareness programs implemented in cooperation with environmental organizations.

In February, Haider Saadi, an adviser to Dhi Qar province, reported that worsening water shortages and climate change have displaced more than 10,500 families across the province. He added that 98% of wetlands and agricultural areas have turned into barren, desert-like land due to a sharp decline in water inflows.

The Central Marshes in Dhi Qar, a UNESCO World Heritage site, remain a vital ecological and economic lifeline, supporting biodiversity and sustaining local communities through fishing, buffalo herding, and reed-based crafts. However, declining water flows from the Euphrates and rising temperatures have placed the ecosystem under severe strain.

Read more: Discover Iraq: Dhi Qar, the forgotten gem of Mesopotamia