The official X account of the Climate Change Unit of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister’s Office announced on Wednesday that the KRG is proud to be listed as a new member in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 2025 Annual Report.

“This milestone reflects our continued commitment to climate action, biodiversity conservation, and regional environmental cooperation,” the KRG’s Climate Change Unit announced on X.  

“We joined IUCN to strengthen our international cooperation on protecting nature. IUCN has opened doors for the KRG to regional and global partners and experts,” Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Senior Advisor to KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani for Foreign Affairs and Climate Change, told Kurdistan Chronicle.

“Prime Minister Masrour Barzani cares deeply about protecting Kurdistan Region’s biodiversity, its rich and varied native forests, grasslands, plants and animals and their habitats in the face of multiple challenges. We appreciate @IUCNROWA’s support for our conservation efforts in Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

”The Climate Change Unit was established in late 2023. Protecting the environment, preserving forests, and tackling climate pollution have been major priorities of the KRG’s Ninth Cabinet.

Last month, the KRG Ministry of Interior announced they would begin to penalize littering in order to protect the Kurdistan Region’s environment, as part of Prime Minister Barzani’s conservation strategy.

“No one has the right to pollute [the environment] or escape accountability,” the Ministry said.

Read More: Kurdistan Joins International Union for Conservation of Nature

Last year, in October, the KRG announced that it had officially become a member of the IUCN, underlining its commitment to biodiversity.

Membership in the IUCN links the Kurdistan Region to over 1,400 organizations worldwide, enabling it to align environmental policies with global standards, collaborate with experts on conservation and resource management, access capacity-building support for climate resilience, and promote ecotourism and green investment within its development strategy.

Founded in 1948, the IUCN is the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, providing knowledge, policy guidance, and partnerships to help societies protect nature.

KRG Senior Advisor Abdul Rahman also participated in the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku in November 2024, where she highlighted the impact of climate change on refugee communities in Kurdistan.