Southern Iraq, once known as the Garden of Eden, is poised to become a scorching wasteland in the coming decades. Study led by this author in collaboration with the Israel Meteorological Service's chief researcher, Dr. Yoav Levi, predicts that in the not-too-distant future, residents of this region will endure hours a day with temperatures rising above 55°C. While this grim prediction is for the future, the ominous rise in temperatures is not speculative, but is already a reality in Iraq. Measurements taken between 2012 and 2019 recorded temperatures reaching a staggering 54°C on several occasions. Last year, we witnessed heat waves exceeding 50°C, causing repeated power outages, falling levels of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers – Iraq’s lifelines – linked to food shortages, a drop in labor productivity due to the unbearable heat, and an increase in sandstorms that are hampering oil production. tanker access to southern ports. These challenges have not only fueled socio-economic upheavals, but also serious security disruptions, as evidenced by the violent protests in southern Iraq in 2018. (YOSSI MANN)