SIXTH NATIONAL REPORT OF IRAQ TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY December 2018 SIXTH NATIONAL REPORT OF IRAQ TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY December 2018 1 Messages from the Minister of Health and Environmen Iraq has a geographically diverse environment of high mountains, plains, valleys, desert lands, plateaus, water fountain, rivers, marshes and lakes. It possesses a unique nature as an economic resource of the country. In contrast, it faces great burdens, challenges and enormous future environmental problems. The war and its aftermath and the terrorist operations that Iraq has faced during the past period are a heavy legacy and challenges that have caused environmental problems, as well as the unsustainable use of natural resources, decline of green areas and the expansion of decertified land, insufficient capacity for waste management, water and air pollution and global warming impacts. Therefore, we have been assigned the duty to protect and sustain the Iraqi environment and make the priority given to environment challenges. Addressing these challenges has become part of the plans and development of the Iraqi’s strategy for the environment. We have shown strong interest and commitment to environmental issues and relevant international conventions through the preparation of reports, annual plans for environmental protection and appropriate solutions to address the problem of biodiversity loss and habitat rehabilitation through the expansion of protected areas and the protection of threatened species, In addition to the enactment of legislation that prevents several types of encroachment on habitats. The launch of the sixth national biodiversity report is a step towards assessing the national environmental reality of biodiversity, as this report is the result of the implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy programs (2015-2020) implemented by stakeholders, aimed at providing the required support to institutions to protect ecosystems and biodiversity and develop appropriate solutions to environmental challenges. Dr. Ala Aldin Alwan The Minister of Health and Environment December 2018 2 Preface by the Technical Deputy of the Environmental Affairs - National Focal Point of the Convention on Biological Diversity Iraq's commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities to the Convention on Biological Diversity, and in recognition of the importance of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the National and Global Strategic Plan for the Conservation of Biodiversity and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the Sixth Biodiversity Report has been completed by national efforts from the Ministry of Health and Environment with other related Ministries and agencies by the technical support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and funded by the Global Environment Facility. The Ministry of Environment has worked hard and is committed to meeting the timetable set by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity by mobilizing all resources for this task. The implementation of this report is in line with the implementation of the Global Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets to be discussed during COP 15 in 2020. This report provides an opportunity for us to assess what has been done by the Ministry of health and Environment with relevant institutions in the area of biodiversity conservation during the years since the implementation of the national strategy)2020-2015( It is therefore necessary to identify weaknesses and take action to overcome them. In the last phase of the preparation of this report, a workshop was held to review what has been approved since the start of the project in addition to the urgent need to fill the technical gaps in the report and finally for the purpose of completing the report in a technical manner competing with the rest of the parties and considered an environmental message to the decision makers to provide protection and Support needed to protect biodiversity, As we need to achieve national participation with all existing partners to describe and evaluate the national effort in preparing this report as one of the most important tools that can be used to assess achievement in achieving the national biodiversity protection goals contained in the National Biodiversity Strategy. This valuable technical report is therefore a step towards the assessment of biodiversity in Iraq, in which we hope to enhance the capacity of biodiversity conservation professionals at the international and regional levels. Finally, I would like to thank all participants in the preparation of this report, in addition to our high appreciation to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). I ask God for all success and good service in this country. Dr. Jassim Abdul Aziz Al Falahi Technical Deputy of the Environmental affairs Ministry of Health and Environment December 2018 3 The sixth national report has been prepared as a result of the project entitled “Technical support to Eligible Parties to Produce the Sixth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity” with funding by the Global Environment Facility. The preparation process of this report has been led by Dr Jassim Al Falahi, the Technical Deputy for Environmental affairs in Ministry of Health and Environment, and Convention on Biological Diversity national focal point. With active participation of the Technical Team: From Ministry of Health and Environment /Technical Directorate/Marshland and the Sustainable Management of the Natural Environmental Resources Department: Mrs. Nahla Mohammed Rida Mr. Amro Alaaldeen Hussein Ms. Donya Ayad Ahmed Mrs. Rasha Majid Mousa Mr. Mohammed Fadhil Abid Mrs. Rana Asadullah Hassan Mr. Ali Ne'ma Salman And the Supporting Team Mrs. Manal Kamil Aziza Project Manager / UNDP Professor Mark Whittingham International Consultant / UNDP Dr. Mukhtar Khamis Haba National Consultant / UNDP Dr. Nadheer Abood Fazaa Adviser / Ministry of Health and Environment Mr. Omar Fadhil Abdulrahman Technical Director /Iraqi Green Climate Organization And the support from: Mr. Md. Tarik ul Islam Environment, Energy and Climate Change Program Manager / UNDP Mr. Ali Maitham Al-Mawali Project financial focal point / UNDP Ms. Marion Marigo Technical specialist / UNDP- GEF ©copy right December 2018 Ministry of Health and Environment, Republic of Iraq 4 Acknowledgment Ministry of Health and Environment would like to express its most sincere thanks and appreciation to the participations and contributions from Iraqi Governmental Institutions, Universities and Institutes, Individual Researchers and Organizations, in particular: Ministry of Health and Environment Ministry of Agriculture Mr. Essa Raheem Alfayath Ms. Raweya Mahmood Mizaal Ms. Shatha Kadhim Khalaf Mrs. Elham Jawad Mahdi Mr. Anam Thabit Khalil Mr. Hadi Hashim Hussein Mr. Yousif Moayeed Yousif Mr. Ahmed Adnan Ahmed Dr. Ne’am Nabeel Hashim Mr. Hazim Mohammed Abood Mrs. Banan Mohmoud Sulaiman Dr. Abid Alhameed Al Fayadh Mr. Dhirgham Abdali Jabr Mr. Ghadeer Adnan Hussein Mr. Talal Abdulkareem Abdulrahman Mrs. Enas Qassim Hassan Mrs. Dalal Ali Qais Dr. Abdullamir Abdullah Essa Mr. Haidar Ibrahim Hassan Dr. Ali Tamoueen Ajeel Mrs. Rihab Tahir Ahmed Mr. Ali Haloob Kadhum Mrs. Wigdan Zaki Mahmood Ministry of Planning Mr. Salah Obaid Khahum Mrs.Shaymaa Farid Lazim Mr. Haider Hani Abdulhussein Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research Mr. Arif Shamkhi Jabar Dr. Abbas Jasim. /Basra University Environmental protection and Improvement Dr. Hana' Hani Alsaffar /Baghdad University/Iraqi History Board / Kurdistan Region Research Center and Museum Mr. Razaq Aziz Mohammed Mr. Mahmood Einad Ghazwan/ Baghdad University/Iraqi Mr. Azad Noori Awla History Research Center and Museum Mrs Banaz Khalil Mustafa Dr. Muhammed Othman Mousa. / Al-Anbar University. Ministry of water resources Dr. Khaz’al Dhabu’Wadi. / Dyala University Mr.Laith Abdullsattar Dr. Nidhal Tahseen Taha /Mosul University. Food and Agriculture Organization Dr. Rihab Ghalib Muhammed /Al- Qasim Green University. Dr. Khalid Hashim Shlash NGOs Mr. Korsh Ararat Majeed/ Nature Iraq Mr. Mudhaffar Abdullbaqi Salim/ Iraqi organization on Nature conservation Mr. Raad Habeeb Taher /Al Jibaeesh and Ecotourism organization Many thanks and gratitude to all members of the Marshland and the Sustainable Management of the Natural Environmental Resources Department, for their participating in the implementation of the National Strategy for Biodiversity (2015-2020). The Ministry also extend sincere thanks to the active participation of all the staff of the following sections in the Technical Directorate: 1- Department of chemicals monitoring and contaminated sites assessment. 2- Department of Industrial and services activities monitoring and assessment. 3- Department of water and soil monitoring And grateful to: Environmental Protection and Improvement Board / Kurdistan Region for the important information and the participation in the project workshops, and Nature Iraq organization for the Key Biodiversity Areas of Iraq report (KBA), which is considered one of the main sources for the Sixth National Report. 5 Executive Summary Environmental protection and human health are top priorities within Iraqi policy. The Iraqi law for protecting and improving the environment No. 27 of 2009 aims to protect and improve the environment, natural resources, biodiversity, cultural and natural heritage in cooperation with the related authorities to ensure sustainable development. At the end of July 2009,