Iraq: “Ecocide” in Iraq: Oil Expansion Threatens to Remove Hawizeh Marsh from the UNESCO List

Jan 20, 2026 | Haydar Al-Saadi, Hala Nasreddine, and Yann Philippin
Daraj
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This investigation reveals that four oil and gas licenses in Iraq overlap with about 400 km² of land within roughly seven protected areas, most prominently the marshes of southern Iraq, led by the Hawizeh Marsh and the Hammar Marsh, all of which are classified as protected wetlands by international and national bodies due to their high environmental importance and unique biodiversity.