Idris Nechirvan Barzani: Leading Iraq toward environmental sustainability

For over four decades, Iraq has grappled with persistent drought, intensified by extreme heat, desertification, and dwindling water resources. The United Nations Environment Programme ranks Iraq as the world’s fifth most climate-vulnerable region, where environmental degradation threatens livelihoods and food security.

Compounding these challenges, Iraq remains the second-largest oil producer in OPEC, with plans to boost output to over six million barrels per day. While oil drives economic growth, it exacerbates pollution and environmental strain. Iraq’s reliance on food imports further underscores its vulnerabilities: approximately 50% of its food supply is imported, with food imports rising from $10.9 billion in 2018 to $14.7 billion in 2023, a 6.2% annual increase, making it the third-largest food importer in the Arab Middle East. 

Yet, adversity often sparks innovation, and across Iraq—particularly in the Kurdistan Region—communities, entrepreneurs, and leaders are rising to the challenge. 

Farmers are adopting water-saving irrigation techniques, villages are implementing sustainable resource management, and local organizations are trying to deliver immediate solutions. Despite obstacles like inadequate infrastructure and limited funding, Iraq is making strides. The Iraqi government has launched solar and green hydrogen projects and committed to reducing methane emissions by 30% by 2030. In 2025, the UN’s Green Climate Fund approved a $1.3 billion climate program, marking a significant step toward resilience.

At the forefront of these efforts is Idris Nechirvan Barzani, whose leadership through the Rwanga Foundation has driven environmental innovation for over a decade. The foundation recently completed a transformative project, planting 20,000 olive trees on Erbil’s outskirts to create a green belt that combats desertification and bolsters local ecosystems. Additionally, it launched a pilot project bringing solar-powered energy to rural communities in the Kurdistan Region, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and promoting sustainable development.

In 2022, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) unveiled its “Safe Environment–Sustainable Development” initiative. Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced a shift from diesel reliance and the construction of new waste treatment facilities. The region now hosts some of Iraq’s most promising green projects, including a Garmian power plant that converts flare gas into electricity and the Kulak Solar Village, a fully off-grid community developed by the Rwanga Foundation. The foundation has also planted over 200,000 trees and supports farmers in building climate-resilient livelihoods in the last five years.

The Kulak Solar Village, located southeast of Erbil, exemplifies sustainable living. Housing over 200 residents across 32 homes, the village is powered entirely by solar panels, with each home equipped with modern amenities, storage batteries, and access to clean energy for schools, clinics, and a mosque. The Rwanga Foundation’s research center is exploring advanced water systems and regenerative agriculture, training residents in sustainable practices to ensure energy self-sufficiency and food resilience. This village serves as a scalable model, with plans to replicate its design across the Kurdistan Region and central Iraq by 2030, in collaboration with local authorities and international partners.

Idris Nechirvan Barzani, who founded the Rwanga Foundation in 2013, has positioned it as a beacon of environmental and social progress. The foundation’s mission—“to provide services, build capacities, and facilitate strategic roadmaps for a healthier, more peaceful environment”—guides its work. Through projects like Kulak Village and broader initiatives fostering climate resilience and economic empowerment, Barzani is helping shape a sustainable future for Iraq.

While challenges remain, frameworks like the Local Climate Change Adaptation Plan for the Kurdistan Region, supported by UN reports, highlight the need for funding and local entrepreneurship. The Rwanga Foundation, under Barzani’s visionary leadership, exemplifies this localized innovation. As these initiatives scale, they offer hope that Iraq, despite its vulnerabilities, can forge a path toward environmental responsibility and a resilient future.