Iraq signed on June 24 a deal with Abu Dhabi's state-owned Masdar, also known as the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, to produce 2 gigawatts of solar energy in southern Iraq at a cost of $1 billion. The deal is Iraq's first approach to adopting clean energy in order to reduce pollution, diversify energy sources, and curb reliance on Iranian electricity and gas.
Iraq is one of the most polluted countries, ranking 12th in the world due to the burning of gas associated with oil production and other emissions, according to the Numbeo classification. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s government has taken a series of measures to reduce pollution as part of the comprehensive economic reform program called the White Paper. Measures include Iraq’s accession to the Paris Climate Agreement, reliance on clean energy in the production of electricity, exempting electric cars from taxes, and forcing the Investment Authority to offer investment opportunities to establish nuclear power plants, solid waste treatment plants that convert waste into energy and solar power plants.
