IRAQ / UNEP AGREEMENT

In an effort to set in motion robust action to restore Iraq's fast deteriorating environment, the Government of Iraq signed  a landmark agreement with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that aims to speed up recovery and support national development goals. UNEP

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:52
• Production Date: 27 January 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME - UNEP
• Subject Topical: NATURAL RESOURCES; ENVIRONMENT; ENVIRONMENT
• Geographic Subject: IRAQ
• MAMS Id: U140127e

Description

STORY: IRAQ / UNEP AGREEMENT
TRT: 1.52
SOURCE: UNEP
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 26 JANUARY 2014, BAGHDAD, IRAQ

Shotlist

1. Med shot, signing of agreement
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director:
“Today in Baghdad we have signed a memo of cooperation, an agreement that will commit UNEP over the next 5 years to work on a number of priority areas with the Iraqi Government, in particular with the Ministry of the Environment. This is the first agreement of its kind that we have signed in which we are co-financing key activities that are part of the National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan of Iraq, and that also further reinforce the Secretary-General’s commitment to Iraq, that the United Nations system, with its various funds, agencies and programmes, will engage on the priorities of the people and the Government of Iraq over the coming years.”
3. Med shot, handshaking, exchange of folders
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director:
“Today we see the Iraqi Government launching the Iraq Environmental Outlook Report, which identifies a whole series of issues that are essentially degrading the environment, reducing the natural capital, from pollution, water resources management, sand and dust storms. These are just some of the issues that are key priorities for the Iraqi Government and will therefore form the centerpiece of the collaboration we will have.”
5. Wide shot, audience
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director:
“This is a commitment on the part of UNEP and the Iraqi Government to together provide the technical support, the capacity, the best practices that we can bring – and also the financing for some of the future programmes we are working on in order to implement a long term strategy for environmental management in Iraq.”
7. Wide shot, hall

Storyline

In an effort to set in motion robust action to restore Iraq's fast deteriorating environment, the Government of Iraq signed on Sunday (26 Jan), a landmark agreement with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that aims to speed up recovery and support national development goals.

Iraq's environment has suffered severe decline, exacerbated by decades of war and growing pressures on natural resources.

SOUNDBITE (English) Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director:

“Today in Baghdad we have signed a memo of cooperation, an agreement that will commit UNEP over the next 5 years to work on a number of priority areas with the Iraqi Government, in particular with the Ministry of the Environment. This is the first agreement of its kind that we have signed in which we are co-financing key activities that are part of the National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan of Iraq, and that also further reinforce the Secretary-General’s commitment to Iraq, that the United Nations system, with its various funds, agencies and programmes, will engage on the priorities of the people and the Government of Iraq over the coming years.”

The new five-year Strategic Cooperation Agreement with UNEP will strengthen efforts to overcome many of Iraq's environmental challenges.

SOUNDBITE (English) Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director:

“Today we see the Iraqi Government launching the Iraq Environmental Outlook Report, which identifies a whole series of issues that are essentially degrading the environment, reducing the natural capital, from pollution, water resources management, sand and dust storms. These are just some of the issues that are key priorities for the Iraqi Government and will therefore form the centerpiece of the collaboration we will have.”

Areas of cooperation defined by the agreement will focus on environmental legislation and regulations; biodiversity conservation; green economy; cleaner production; resource efficiency; combating dust storms; and climate change reporting, mitigation and adaptation.

SOUNDBITE (English) Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director:

“This is a commitment on the part of UNEP and the Iraqi Government to together provide the technical support, the capacity, the best practices that we can bring – and also the financing for some of the future programmes we are working on in order to implement a long term strategy for environmental management in Iraq.”

The Government of Iraq also announced 2014 as a national Year of Environment and declared 28 January as an annual Environment Day.

Cooperation between the Government of Iraq and UNEP dates back to 2003, immediately after the establishment of the Ministry of Environment.

Since then, UNEP has worked with the Iraqi Government on multiple projects, including: rapid post-conflict environmental assessments; environmental clean-up of highly contaminated sites; and the restoration of the Mesopotamian Marshlands.