Erbil, Kurdistan Region – The first phase of a large-scale green belt project has been launched in Erbil, aiming to plant millions of trees and construct artificial ponds to address air pollution and climate change, a local official announced on Monday.

Sarwar Waisi, head of Erbil’s parks engineering department, told Rudaw that the project has begun along the 150-meter road, with pistachio and olive trees being planted in the initial phase. More than ten artificial ponds will also be built to support irrigation.

“Over seven million trees will be planted in the first stage of the project,” Waisi said, emphasizing its role in mitigating dust storms and protecting agricultural lands from being converted into investment zones. The initiative is expected to generate employment opportunities for local youth.

The project is a collaborative effort between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Kurdistan Regional Government’s municipalities, and the tourism ministry. It comes as Erbil faces severe air pollution, exacerbated by generator smoke, vehicle emissions from low-quality fuel, and frequent dust storms.

Iraq ranks among the countries most affected by climate change, with water scarcity worsening due to poor resource management and upstream dam construction in neighboring nations.