May last year, I was invited to the launch of Kurdistan Region’s Local Adaptation Plan (LAP) at the Erbil International Hotel. This important document that sets out the Region’s environmental and climate challenges as well as proposed solutions through tailored projects was prepared by the Board of Environment and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

“The Local Climate Change Adaptation Plan for Kurdistan Region - Iraq, is a testament to our commitment to fostering resilience in the face of climatic challenges. This comprehensive plan represents the collective efforts of stakeholders, and local and regional experts who have come together to address the pressing issues posed by climate change," Abdulrahman Sidiq, head of the KRG Board of Environment, says in the document’s foreword.

Mr. Sidiq adds that he hopes the LAP “will inspire collaborative action, resilience, and innovation. Together, we can forge a path toward a more sustainable and climate-resilient future for all.”

The adaptation plan, which is in the public domain, contains close to 40 proposed projects across the Kurdistan Region that, if funded and implemented, will address many climate and environmental issues.

These projects include water harvesting ponds, increasing green-space, restoration of forests and ecosystems, environmentally-responsible tourism, water, sanitation, community and youth training, etc.

That document now has become the backbone of Iraq’s new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC3) which, as a signatory to the Paris Agreement, Baghdad has to submit to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) sometime this year.

In 2021, Iraq submitted NDC 1.0, and now together with the UNDP, they are revisiting the old version and preparing NDC 3.0. The Kurdistan Region is playing its role in producing the new version through the Environment Board, which in its own turn consults all sectors and ministries for their input to ensure that the challenges, priorities, and strategies of the Region are reflected in this document, which maps out the country’s vision and plans from now to 2030 or 2035.

Iraq’s NDC, which can be described as the country’s climate roadmap, is mainly focused on two areas: Adaptation and Mitigation.

On the importance of adaptation, the head of the Environment Board says, “As we navigate the challenges of climate change, we must remember that adaptation is not just about responding to threats; it is an opportunity to build a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future. We believe that this adaptation plan will serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, community leaders, and all those committed to safeguarding the well-being of the people in the Kurdistan Region.”

Kurdistan Region’s LAP is based on a Climate Vulnerability Assessment (CVA) of the main sectors at provincial levels and suggests such solutions as the development of water infrastructure, flood management, and early warning system, the introduction of smart agricultural techniques, community training and capacity building, establishing protected areas for wildlife, reforestation, and sustainable land management.

The Region’s vulnerability assessment reveals disparities across various sectors. For example, Sulaimani is vulnerable in the water sector, Dohuk is most vulnerable in the agriculture sector, due to its reliance on rainwater, and Halabja’s ecosystems are highly vulnerable and do not have nature conservation programs.

The Kurdistan Region is aligning its LAP with Iraq’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) which mainly deals with the central and southern provinces and is now being similarly referred to for drawing a comprehensive new NDC.

The Region’s LAP also resonates with the adaptation plans of other nations around the world who, according to a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) analysis, almost all highlight similar concerns and needs.

“Out of the 58 countries that have submitted a NAP (as of July 2024), 48 (83%) acknowledge and recognize the importance of climate services as part of their national adaptation strategies, and emphasized the need for climate information to inform decision-making and adaptation action in their NAPs,” WMO states in its 2024 report on climate services. “The adaptation priorities for climate services include improving water resources management, strengthening agrometeorology services and climate information systems, and making improvements for efficient flood forecasting and preparedness.”

In its annual report that examines climate challenges and the state of available services in different countries, WMO says that “The NAPs are a key global delivery vehicle for adaptation, to enable resilience building and strengthening of adaptation capacity, and thereby achieve the global goal on adaptation.”

The meteorological organization suggests that national adaptation plans are  “A means of identifying medium- and long-term adaptation needs, and of developing and implementing strategies and programs to address those needs.”

Kurdistan Region’s Environment Board and the Iraqi Ministry of Environment do not stop at the NAP or LAP. In the process of preparing NDC 3.0, they are respectively reviewing two other important documents. Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) and Locally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (LAMA). These two documents focus on the NDC’s other main pillar, mitigation, and propose various ideas and projects to mitigate climate change impacts.

“NDCs are central to the Paris Agreement, serving as each country’s climate action plan,” WMO says. “These plans outline commitments to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 °C, to adapt to climate impacts, and to secure the necessary finance to support these efforts. Updated every five years with increasingly ambitious targets, NDCs reflect each country’s unique capabilities and capacities.”