Civil Society Comes Together in Baghdad to Discuss Climate Justice: An Insight into the ICSSI and Humat Dijlah Conference
In recent years, Iraq and the wider Mesopotamian region have experienced an acute escalation of climate-related challenges, including drought, desertification, water scarcity, pollution, and ecosystem degradation. Iraq is now widely recognized as one of the countries most affected by climate change globally. These impacts threaten not only the environment, but also livelihoods, public health, food security, cultural heritage, and social stability
Against this backdrop, the Climate Justice Conference, held in Baghdad from 4 to 6 December 2025, was conceived as a response to the urgent need for a different kind of conversation on climate change in Iraq. Organized by the Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative (ICSSI) in partnership with Humat Dijlah, and with the support of Save the Tigris, Un Ponte Per, and Al Masalla Organization, the conference sought to frame climate change not as a technical or environmental issue alone, but as a question of human rights, social justice, and accountability
A core assumption guiding the conference was that climate injustice in Iraq is deeply connected to governance failures, unequal power relations, extractive economic models, and regional and transboundary water policies. Addressing the climate crisis therefore requires political, legal, and social responses that place affected communities at the center.
A PEOPLE-CENTERED SPACE FOR DIALOGUE
Over three days, the conference brought together civil society organizations, activists, researchers, artists, youth groups, and representatives of affected communities from across Iraq, alongside regional and international participants. The objective was to create a free, inclusive, and safe space for dialogue, where diverse forms of knowledge – technical, community-based, cultural, and experiential – could coexist and inform one another
Rather than producing a single authoritative narrative, the conference emphasized exchange: sharing lived realities, identifying common challenges, and developing collective perspectives on climate justice in Iraq and the region.
DAY ONE: CULTURE, WATER AND CLIMATE JUSTICE
The first day opened with a focus on the intersections between climate change, cultural heritage, and water governance.
The panel “Cultural Heritage and Climate Change” examined how drought, desertification, and water scarcity are threatening Mesopotamia’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Discussions highlighted the loss of traditional agricultural practices, crops, rituals, songs, and livelihoods, stressing that cultural heritage should be understood as a living and dynamic dimension of climate justice, closely tied to identity, memory, and community resilience
The panel “Water, Peace, and Climate Justice” addressed water scarcity as a structural and political issue. Speakers discussed domestic and regional water policies, transboundary river governance, and the absence of equitable and transparent mechanisms for water distribution. Water was framed as a foundation for peace and social stability, and its mismanagement as a driver of conflict and injustice.
Breakout sessions allowed participants to compare experiences across regions and sectors, identifying shared concerns around access to water, information, and participation in decision-making processes.
Artistic and cultural activities played a central role throughout the day. Through music sessions, gallery visits, and creative workshops organized with Walking Art and Humat Dijlah, the conference foregrounded the role of art, narrative, and creativity as tools for reflection, expression, and connection. These moments reinforced the idea that climate justice is not only debated through policy and data, but also articulated through cultural and artistic practices.
The day concluded with youth-focused dialogues marking ten years of UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security, emphasizing the role of Iraqi youth in responding to climate and environmental challenges.
DAY TWO: ACTIVISTS, FEMINIST PERSPECTIVES, AND STRUCTURAL BARRIERS
The second day focused on the actors advancing climate justice and the constraints they face.
The panel “Current Challenges Facing Climate Activists” addressed the political, legal, and security obstacles encountered by environmental and human rights defenders in Iraq. Discussions highlighted limited access to information, weak enforcement of environmental laws, risks of criminalization, and the need for stronger coordination, protection mechanisms, and international solidarity.
The panel “Feminist Approaches to Climate Justice” examined the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and marginalized groups. Speakers emphasized the importance of feminist perspectives that address care, equity, leadership, and participation, and called for women’s meaningful involvement in environmental decision-making, policy development, and climate responses.
Parallel workshops explored issues such as sustainable livelihoods in the marshes, security awareness for activists, corporate accountability, and the environmental impact of oil extraction, particularly in the Hawizeh Marshes.
Artistic performances, theater, documentary screenings, and live music continued to complement the formal program, creating accessible and reflective spaces for dialogue beyond panel discussions.
DAY THREE: MARSHES, WATER GOVERNANCE, AND FUTURE PATHWAYS
The third day focused on ecosystems, water governance, and future directions.
The panel “The Mesopotamian Marshes under Threat” addressed the environmental and social emergency facing the Iraqi marshes due to climate change, pollution, unjust water policies, and extractive activities. Speakers called for stronger legal protection of the marshes, accountability of companies operating in the area, protection of environmental activists, and equitable water allocations for affected communities
The panel “Regional and Internal Water Governance” analyzed transboundary water challenges, regional dam policies, and internal governance failures, highlighting the need for participatory, transparent, and rights-based alternatives that involve local communities, farmers, women, and youth.
Final breakout sessions and a plenary discussion allowed participants to consolidate insights, articulate shared recommendations, and reflect on next steps.
KEY FINDINGS FROM THE CONFERENCE
Discussions across panels, workshops, and plenary sessions highlighted a set of shared findings that reflect the collective analysis developed during the three days of the conference.
- Climate justice in Iraq was consistently framed as inseparable from human rights and social justice.
Participants emphasized that the climate crisis cannot be understood as the result of environmental factors alone. Instead, it is deeply connected to domestic and regional water policies, mismanagement of natural resources, transboundary river governance, and unequal power relations. Climate change was therefore addressed as a political and structural issue, requiring accountability, equity, and rights-based responses rather than purely technical solutions. - Water scarcity emerged as a central dimension of climate injustice.
Across multiple sessions, water was discussed not only as a natural resource, but as a foundation for livelihoods, public health, cultural heritage, and social stability. The conference highlighted how unjust water governance, lack of transparency, and regional power asymmetries contribute to conflict, displacement, and environmental degradation. Equitable and participatory water management was repeatedly identified as a prerequisite for peace and climate justice - Civil society was recognized as a key actor in advancing climate justice.
The conference underlined the role of civil society organizations, activists, and community groups in raising awareness, amplifying community voices, holding decision-makers and corporations accountable, and advocating for inclusive and rights-based climate solutions. Building solidarity across movements, sectors, and borders was identified as a strategic priority to address climate injustice in Iraq and the wider region - Environmental and climate activists face significant political, legal, and security challenges.
Participants discussed structural barriers affecting environmental defenders, including limited access to information, weak enforcement of environmental laws, criminalization, and the influence of armed actors in protecting polluting interests. The need for protection mechanisms, stronger coordination among civil society actors, and increased international support and pressure emerged as key concerns - Women, youth, and marginalized communities bear a disproportionate burden of climate impacts.
The conference highlighted how climate change affects women, youth, and marginalized groups in specific and unequal ways, including through displacement, loss of livelihoods, health risks, and exclusion from resources. Discussions emphasized the importance of strengthening their participation and leadership in environmental strategies, policy-making, and climate responses, in line with feminist and inclusive approaches to climate justice - Art, culture, and creative expression were identified as integral to climate justice work.
Artistic and cultural activities were not treated as complementary elements, but as core components of the conference. Through music, visual arts, theater, storytelling, and heritage-based practices — including contributions coordinated with Walking Art — participants explored how art and narrative can make climate justice more accessible, grounded, and connected to lived realities. Cultural expression was recognized as a means to preserve memory, strengthen community identity, and articulate resistance in the face of environmental degradation
CONCLUSION
The Climate Justice Conference in Baghdad represented an important step in advancing a people-centered, rights-based understanding of climate change in Iraq. By bringing together civil society, affected communities, activists, and artists, the conference highlighted the urgency of climate justice as a present and lived reality.
While not an end point, the conference laid the groundwork for continued dialogue, advocacy, and collective action aimed at addressing climate injustice in Iraq and the wider region.
