ERBIL — Desertification poses a serious threat to Iraq's environment, while authorities are somewhat reluctant to address it. A lawmaker has warned that Iraq has lost 40 percent of its green belts in the past 20 years, threatening 93 percent of the country's territory.

Muzir Mi'an, a member of the Iraqi parliament, stated, "Iraq has lost 40 percent of its green belts in the past 20 years. Ninety-three percent of the country's territory is threatened by desertification and the expansion of sand dunes."

"Environmental changes in Iraq in recent years are alarming," he continued. "Recent studies have shown that the detrimental effects of this phenomenon include water scarcity and the spread of desertification." High levels of dew drops have been reported in six provinces.

"The environment is a critical part of national security, and if serious steps are not taken, we will regret it in a few years," Mi'an emphasized, urging the revival of green spaces.

According to the Iraqi MP, since 2003, more than 40 percent of the green belts have been lost due to agricultural land conversion to residential areas, desertification, war, and the expansion of sand dunes.

Out of Iraq's more than 130 million acres of land, 95 million acres are affected by desertification, and another 27 million acres are at risk. The problem covers an area of 12 million acres, with over 200,000 acres annually losing their agricultural potential due to desertification.

According to a UN report, Iraq has been named the fifth-most vulnerable country to climate breakdown, facing challenges such as soaring temperatures, insufficient and declining rainfall, intensified droughts, water scarcity, frequent sand and dust storms, and flooding.