Erbil has begun the first stage of a large green belt project. The plan includes planting millions of trees and building several artificial ponds. The goal is to reduce air pollution and fight climate change.
The head of Erbil’s parks engineering department, Sarwar Waysi, said the work has started around the 150-meter road. In this phase, workers will plant pistachio and olive trees. They will also build more than ten ponds to supply water for irrigation.
More than seven million trees will be planted in the first stage. The project is taking place in coordination with the United Nations Development Programme. The municipalities and the tourism ministry in the Kurdistan Region are also taking part.
Waysi explained that the green belt will protect the city from dust storms. It will also help preserve agricultural land and prevent its use for investment projects. In addition, the project will create new job opportunities for young people in the city.
Erbil has faced serious air pollution problems in recent years. The pollution comes from power generator smoke, heavy car emissions, and low-quality fuel. Frequent dust storms make the problem worse.
Poor water management and dam building in neighboring countries have also reduced river flows. This makes tackling climate change even more urgent for the region.