Baghdad reopens park as desert creeps closer

ByEnigma 808

Baghdad reopened Zawraa Park on Wednesday as officials face criticism over the city’s shrinking green areas. Environmental groups report that vegetation covers just 4.5 percent of the capital, compared with 20 percent in the Kurdistan Region, where authorities have invested in urban forests.

Residents question whether the park will remain protected from residential development. Iraq ranks among nations hit hardest by climate change, with central and southern provinces turning to desert as temperatures rise.

The Kurdistan Regional Government planted seven million olive and pistachio trees around Erbil as part of its green belt program. Baghdad has seen parks destroyed despite cabinet orders meant to preserve them.

Citizens say the reopening lacks a broader plan to increase vegetation across Iraqi cities. Some fear powerful groups will override environmental protections unless the government enforces preservation policies.

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    Besides writing and being a content creator, Enigma 808 sometimes likes to watch paint dry on walls, listening to ASMR while timing snails racing. Such is life.