As part of the Improving Human Rights Conditions and Enhancing Democratic Participation program, supported by the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and implemented by the Public Aid Organization (PAO), a coordination team meeting was held on December 15, 2025, in Erbil, Kurdistan Region.
The meeting brought together representatives from the Environment Protection and Improvement Authority, the Kurdistan Region’s Department of Foreign Relations, and the Ministry of Planning, within the framework of ongoing efforts to improve the legislative environment related to climate change response and environmental protection.
Discussions focused on the need to amend the Environment Protection and Improvement Law No. (8) of 2008 to ensure stronger alignment with the Kurdistan Region’s obligations, as part of the Republic of Iraq, under international environmental conventions and treaties to which Iraq is a signatory.
Participants emphasized the importance of sustaining these reform efforts and expanding engagement to include academics and other relevant sectors, in order to strengthen evidence-based legislation and enhance the effectiveness of environmental governance in addressing climate challenges.
