Analysis of Legal and Executive Barriers in Iraq’s Environmental Regulatory System

Abstract

In recent years, Iraq’s environmental protection system has faced serious challenges due to population growth, industrial activities, and the consequences of war and political instability. Although numerous laws and regulations—such as the Environmental Protection and Improvement Law enacted in 2009—and Iraq’s accession to international environmental agreements have been established, major deficiencies in legal and administrative systems have made the achievement of essential environmental objectives difficult. From a legal perspective, the principal challenges include weak coordination among legislative bodies, ineffective enforcement of laws, incomplete regulations, ambiguous responsibilities, and overlapping mandates of key institutions. Using a descriptive–analytical method, the author concludes that, at the macro-management level, factors such as insufficient financial resources and human capital, weak oversight mechanisms, administrative corruption, ineffective monitoring and evaluation systems, and limited public participation have severely constrained the proper implementation of environmental laws and policies. Furthermore, Iraq’s unique political conditions—characterized by frequent changes in leadership, persistent insecurity, and external influences—have created significant obstacles to the development of stable institutions. Achieving effective environmental governance in Iraq therefore requires comprehensive reform of legal frameworks, enhancement of institutional capacity, promotion of transparency and accountability, and the establishment of strong coordination among key national and international stakeholders.