Editorial: Iraq and climate change

2022? The year Iraq saw the signs of its future with climate change?

CNN gushed today over the finds in a newly emerged city. Not to rain on the parade but the reason we're seeing the ancient city is that the Tigris River has dried up so much that the city was visible again for the first time in centuries -- plural. That's not a good thing.

This is also the first year that Iraq's seen Lake Sawa dry up.

These are not good things for the Iraqi people.

And this is only going to get worse in the immediate future.

Another major sandstorm is predicted in the next few days. Iraq's seen these repeatedly this year. People have to go inside. Some that don't make it in time end up hospitalized. Iraq's always had sandstorms but they haven't been as frequent and as massive as the ones this year.

Temperatures are rising and the water is disappearing.

Trees are dying. Farmers are struggling to produce in these extreme conditions.

And as climate change really begins to hit Iraq, they are without a government. Back in October, elections were held. Eight months later, still no prime minister, still no president.

Iraq's facing an environmental crisis and they've got no real government to address it.