Iraq is at the frontlines of the climate crisis, with temperatures rising twice as fast as the global average. It’s also a major oil producer and the world’s second largest offender of gas flaring, a process that releases CO2. Special Correspondent Simona Foltyn reports as part of our ongoing series, “Peril & Promise: The Challenge of Climate Change.”
For decades, Turkey has fought the PKK, a Kurdish separatist movement that's considered a terror organization by the U.S. The rebel group has sought refuge in northern Iraq. The Turks have established dozens of military bases on Iraqi soil and expanded military activities in the Middle East. Special correspondent Simona Foltyn gained exclusive access to Turkish-controlled parts of northern Iraq.