2025-07-27T19:10:49+00:00

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Shafaq News – Baghdad

A record-breaking heatwave is imposing growing economic
costs on Iraq, disrupting power supplies, reducing crop yields, and cutting
labor productivity, an Iraqi expert reported on Sunday.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Nawar al-Saadi, professor of
international economics, explained that the country is already facing tangible
financial losses, weighing heavily on public finances and slowing growth.

“The cost of extreme heat is no longer theoretical — it’s
draining the federal budget, reducing productivity, and limiting the
government’s ability to respond to development needs,” al-Saadi noted.

Temperatures in some Iraqi cities topped 115 degrees
Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius) over the past week, driving electricity demand
to record highs. With Iraq’s power grid operating at roughly 60 percent
capacity and struggling with poor distribution, authorities have increasingly
relied on importing electricity and fuel — usually paid for in dollars — adding
to fiscal pressure amid declining oil revenues.

Significant setbacks have also hit the agricultural sector.
Reduced water flows from Turkiye and Iran, combined with rapid evaporation,
have lowered crop yields by an estimated 15 percent in some regions. This
shortfall has increased reliance on food imports, raising demand for foreign
currency and further straining the Iraqi dinar.

“The climate crisis is no longer just an environmental
threat; it’s becoming a financial crisis, driving up food imports and putting
the dinar under growing pressure,” he added.

At the same time, the health system is under strain as it
manages a surge in heat-related illnesses such as sunstroke, dehydration, and
waterborne infections. Medical facilities are also facing rising costs amid
shortages in equipment and staff.

Weather monitoring platform Play Weather reported that
eleven Iraqi cities ranked among the 15 hottest locations globally over the
past 24 hours.

In response, provinces including Basra, Dhi Qar, Maysan,
Wasit, Al-Diwaniyah, Karbala, and Babil suspended or shortened official working
hours. Similar measures were implemented in Saladin, Diyala, and Al-Muthanna.

Health officials have also urged residents to avoid direct
sunlight during peak hours, maintain hydration, and follow medical advice to
prevent heat-related complications.