Cleaning The Environment in Iraq

[Part 1] | [Part 2] | [Part 3] | [Part 4]

National Environment Protection Agency (N. E. P. A.)

Once a Ministry for the Environment is created, it should legislate an Environmental Act. Which governs environmental protection, where the effects on land, air, and water are considered simultaneously. This act should encourage environmental responsibility throughout the business and community sectors towards achieving a healthy environment alongside economic prosperity.

The environmental act should establish a Technical Arm to the Ministry of the Environment and to be a National entity covering all country. The board members of this agency should be appointed by the Government of Iraq or by the Environmental Authority based on their practical knowledge and experience in defined areas.

The board is a trusted educator and should be:

Independent and makes unbiased, balanced decisions based on best available advise

Open and responsive with its stakeholders

Professional in its business

Proactive and progressive

Provide quality and timely information and advice

Value the contribution of its supports and partnership organizations

Works constructively with the Ministry of the Environment and government of the day.

The N.E.P.A.'s mission is to protect human health and the environment through responsible regulation supported by sound science, effective management and comprehensive environmental education. This goal can be achieved by cleaning the existing source of pollution and to develop and implement pollution prevention initiatives that effectively reduce pollutants in Iraq. This should be accomplished by emphasizing source reduction techniques, and as a second preference, environmentally sound recycling. Pollution Prevention avoids cross-media transfer of waste and/or pollutants and is multimedia in scope. It addresses all types of waste and environmental releases to the air, water, and land.

Long Term Goals and Strategies

1. Achieve implementation of pollution prevention practices by external customers through technical assistance.

Strategies
1. Provide education, training, and research on pollution prevention practices, including on-site assistance.
2. Provide technology transfer, including demonstration of pollution prevention practices.

3. Provide financial assistance. 4. Use quality related activities to continually improve services provided under this goal. 5. Work with other organizations to promote implementation of pollution prevention practices. 6. Develop and implement a plan to market the services of the pollution prevention.

2. Incorporate pollution prevention into the standard practices of Iraqi government, business and non-governmental organizations

Strategies:
1. Assist business with incorporating pollution prevention into their standard operating procedures. 2. Assist in incorporating pollution prevention activities throughout all levels of government in Iraq.

3. Effectively measure and communicate pollution prevention progress to internal and external customers.

Strategies:
1. Develop/Continue activities to quantitatively measure pollution progress by external customers. 2. Develop/Continue activities to qualitatively measure pollution progress by external customers. 3. Develop and publicized information indicating pollution prevention progress. 4. Continuously review and improve pollution prevention measures and efforts to communicate pollution prevention progress in the country.

4. Develop and implement appropriate non-regulatory prevention initiatives.

Strategies:
1. Implement and promote appropriate national non-regulatory pollution prevention initiatives 2. Implement and encourage appropriate local non-regulatory pollution prevention initiatives. 3. Implement appropriate consumer non-regulatory pollution prevention initiatives. 4. Review and consider for adoption of additional non-regulatory pollution prevention initiatives 5. Develop and implement additional non-regulatory pollution prevention initiatives

5. Continually Improve the quality of services provided to the customers

Strategies:
1. Participate in and periodically evaluate quality related activities. 2. Increase the level of input in determining the strategic directions of the Pollution Preventive Programs.

[Part I] | [Part II] | [Part III]

The author is a Biotechnologist and Environmentalist , has been working with the Canadian Government and Environmental Companies for the last 13 years, and can be reached at hsnatar@hotmail.com