Ministry of Natural Resources

Health, Safety and Environment

The Ministry is dedicated to the health and safety of the workers and citizens of the Kurdistan Region and throughout Iraq, and encourages the sustainable, long-term development of the country’s resources. Across the energy industry, local and international partners alike are encouraged to practice due diligence and employ safety, security, and readiness procedures in their operations.

Environmental protection is safeguarded under three laws and documents in the Kurdistan Region: The Law of Environmental Protection and Improvement; the Oil and Gas Law; and the production-sharing contracts. They require companies to conduct environmental impact assessments before starting any commercial or industrial activities, and to compensate landowners for any damages to crops or the surrounding lands.

Under the production sharing contracts, the companies are mandated to contribute to an environment fund every year. They are required to meet international petroleum industry standards of practice and adhere to the Kurdistan Region’s laws to prevent pollution and protect the environment. This includes the protection of fauna and flora, property, agricultural areas, and fisheries. Other obligations in the contracts include preventing environmental damage when constructing pipelines, and decommissioning or surrendering contract areas according to international petroleum industry standards of practice. 

The Ministry has recently established a Health, Safety and Environment Department (HSED) to assume primary responsibility for the Ministry’s regulatory activities in these areas.

The HSED's mission is to strive for the development of the Kurdistan Region’s hydrocarbon resources in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, to meet the growing needs of the local population. Its activities are aimed at protecting the Region’s environment (including its biodiversity, wild habitat and water resources) and promoting safe and environmentally sound practices in the industries regulated by the ministry, while encouraging the optimal exploitation of the Kurdistan’s natural resources. In particular, the Health, Safety and Environment Department:

- Regulates and monitors the hydrocarbons industry to identify and reduce unsafe and environmentally damaging behavior at all stages of exploration, development, production, and rehabilitation.

- Supervises the industry to ensure compliance with the provisions of applicable primary and secondary legislations, accepted standards and guidelines for environmental protection and health and safety; and

- Develops and promulgates suitable instructions and guidelines on environmental and health and safety issues related to the exploitation of natural resources in the Region.

- Through such activities, the HSED will help secure the responsible development of hydrocarbons resources in order to achieve sustainable prosperity for the Kurdistan Region.

See the ministry's Department of Health, Safety and Environment mission statement, principles and policies.

Read more in this article (PDF) by Dr Hallo Askari, the Head of the Department of Health, Safety and Environment.