Green spaces in Iraq's Babylon province vanish as urban development surges, officials deflect responsibility

Nov. 29, 2024

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Babylon, once among Iraq's provinces richest in green spaces that helped moderate the climate and support local ecosystems, has witnessed a dramatic transformation in recent years. These vital areas are being converted into residential and commercial projects with little regard for environmental planning, though Hilla Municipality told Kurdistan24 it bears no responsibility for these changes.

"As the Hilla Municipality department, we are obligated to stop any encroachment on green spaces regardless of their type or who is responsible," Widad Al-Abadi, Director of Media at Hilla Municipality, told Kurdistan24. "However, the conversion of land use is not within our jurisdiction - changing property classification is not part of our department's authority."

Environmental activists and specialists are calling for stringent measures against violators to save Babylon's remaining green spaces. They advocate for enforcing environmental protection laws, preventing encroachment on green lands, and launching public awareness campaigns about the importance of green spaces in improving quality of life.

"Everyone knows that most green spaces have been seized by influential parties whom we won't name," Agricultural specialist Haider Al-Jalabi told Kurdistan24. "By law, these green spaces, like the Quran - with all due respect to the comparison - cannot be converted to residential use for any reason. However, today there is a power above the law that has changed these lands to residential use. This leads to desertification within cities, dust in the streets, and many health problems for citizens. The bulldozing of green spaces and agricultural areas has led to a very strange phenomenon - livestock grazing in residential areas."

Another Iraqi citizen Fadel Ali told Kurdistan24, "The government must put an end to this farce of converting green areas into investment projects and other developments. Today, Hilla's citizens in particular suffer from a severe shortage of green spaces. We must protect these areas through a well-thought-out plan and strict laws that limit their seizure by influential parties and others."

This transformation and encroachment on green spaces has led to their notable scarcity, negatively impacting the local environment. Temperatures have risen significantly in some areas due to the absence of vegetation cover, along with declining air quality and increasing pollution rates.

Babylon province, home to the ancient city of Babylon and located about 100 kilometers south of Baghdad, has historically been known for its fertile land and green spaces.

The recent trend of urban development at the expense of green areas reflects a broader pattern across Iraq, where rapid urbanization and weak environmental protection measures have led to significant environmental challenges. This situation has become particularly acute in cities like Hilla, the provincial capital, where the loss of green spaces has direct implications for public health and quality of life.

Further reporting for this news article was done by Kurdistan24's correspondent Muzafar Mzuri.