A KDP Foreign Relation delegation participated in a virtual workshop on climate change.

The Special Workshop on Climate Change , the role of political parties in Asia to achieve a Net Zero) was organised by the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP).  Hoshyar Siwaily head of Kurdistan Democratic Party Foreign Relations Office Delivered the KDP speech and highlighted the government's efforts to reduce the flared associated gas which is the main source of carbon emissions in Iraq. The Region has constructed a 165 MW power station using associated gas from the Garmian oil wells.

Honourablele Jose de Venecia, Jr.

Honourable Secretary Cho Byung-Jae

Secretariat members

Dear friends

The impact of climate change in Iraq including the Kurdistan Region is profound. It is resulting in effects that are making Iraq’s environmental, security, political and economic challenges worse. Rising temperatures, intense droughts, declining precipitation have profound impact on lives and livelihoods of the citizens of Iraq.

Iraq was one of 197 countries that attended COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland (UK) A representative of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq was among the federal delegation.

Iraq that has ratified the Paris agreement this year has presented its so-called "Nationally Determined Contributions" to the United Nations — the goals that nations set voluntarily to reduce the effects of climate change, including carbon emission reduction targets. Iraq has proposed a reduction of up to 15 percent in carbon emissions by 2030, dependent on support from the international community.

This is an important and ambitious commitment for a country that according to the World Bank flared 17.37 billion cubic meters of Gas in 2020 and comes second behind Russia in flaring associated gas.

The Regional of Kurdistan has already formulated plans to reduce the wasteful and environmentally damaging practise of flaring and make considerable contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions. The Region’s Ministry of Natural Resources issued a directive in July to field operators that they have 18 months to halt the flaring of associated gas that is produced along with crude oil.

 The Region has already made progress in this regard. One of the region’s power plants with an installed capacity of 165 MW owned and operated by a British company is fuelled by captured associated Gas. Other oil producing companies in the Region have shown commitment to implement the directive of the ministry despite regulatory and financial challendes.

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq is committed to share the burden of commitments made by the Iraqi delegation in Glasco in reducing carbon emissions and other policies which mitigate the effects of the climate change and global warming.

The Regional government is also planning to devise and implement plans in other areas to reduce waste and increase efficiency, in particular in the field of water use and management, waste recycling and other environmental friendly measures.

Thank you and happy new year to every one