UN: lack of rain affected on Tigris and Euphrates rivers by 73%

Baghdad-INA 
The Regional Director of the United Nations Environment Program, Sami Dimas, confirmed today, Tuesday, that the lack of rain has affected the Tigris and Euphrates rivers by 73%.
Dimas said in a press conference held at the Ministry of Environment and attended by the correspondent of the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that " "Today's meeting is of outstanding importance within the framework of the effective and continuous partnership of our UN office and the Ministry of Environment, on which efforts are based to support the government and people of Iraq in protecting and improving the environment."
He pointed out that "environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, exacerbation of desertification, land degradation and the recurrence of severe weather phenomena pose serious threats to humans in the region unless collective measures are taken, and we will all be risking the livelihoods of millions of people."
He added, "Iraq is witnessing manifestations of lack of rain and its impact on the levels of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers at rates of up to 73%, and temperatures rise to rates seven times faster than the global rise, as well as the population imbalance by 70% in urban areas, which led to a decline in agriculture."