DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A new environmental group has been founded in Iraq’s southern drought-stricken Dhi Qar province to defend residents in areas affected by climate change, as the phenomenon continues to take its toll on Iraq. 

The Environmental Defenders Network is a new group dedicated to environmental protection and defending the rights of residents in drought-stricken areas, Haider Saadi, a member of the group, told The New Region on Monday. 

“The newly established Environmental Defenders Network team will operate through a scientific and well-structured system based on transparency and full respect for Iraq’s applicable laws and regulations,” Saadi said. 

He stressed that the team has already begun raising important environmental cases based on accurate and documented information. The team, which includes experts, government officials, specialists, and activists, has already surpassed 100 members distributed across Dhi Qar’s districts. 

It seeks to convey the environmental suffering of citizens, propose realistic solutions, and raise awareness about the use of modern technologies in managing resources and protecting the environment, according to Saadi. 

International organizations have repeatedly warned that Iraq is among the countries most severely affected by climate change, with Dhi Qar at the center of the crisis.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), climate change displaced more than 170,000 people across 12 provinces in 2024, with Dhi Qar recording the highest number of displaced families due to drought, declining water levels, and expanding desertification.

The United Nations has classified Iraq as one of the five countries most vulnerable to climate change worldwide, warning that the crisis threatens livelihoods and food security for hundreds of thousands of families.

A 2023 report by the UN Environment Programme said Iraq could lose about 30% of its agricultural land by 2035, which would directly endanger millions of people who depend on farming in provinces such as Dhi Qar.

The World Bank has also warned that Iraq faces an urgent climate emergency, noting that climate-driven migration could affect one in every five Iraqis by the end of the decade if action is not taken.

It said Iraq will need around $233 billion in climate investments by 2040 to protect natural resources and prevent further displacement, particularly in the most affected southern provinces.