Law No. 3 of 1997 on the protection and improvement of the environment.

The Act consists of 25 articles divided into 7 Chapters: Objectives and definitions (1); Council for Protecting and Improving the Environment (2); Council for Protecting and Improving the Environment in the Governorates (3); Department for Protecting and Improving the Environment (4); Provisions relative to protecting and improving the environment (5); Penal provisions (6); Final provisions (7).
This Act aims the protection and improvement of the environment including the territorial waters of Iraq, and to prevent pollution from affecting public health, environment, and natural resources. The Council here established shall consist of various representatives of ministries and other government officials and shall be presided over by the Minister of Health. The Council shall meet at least once a month and shall establish the general environmental policy and decide on plans submitted to it by Environment Councils of the Governorates established under section 7. These Councils shall execute decisions of the national Council. Article 11 provides for the establishment of a department attached to the Minister of Health. The Department for Protecting and Improving the Environment shall prepare medium and long term environment conservation plans and submit them to the Council. Furthermore it shall carry out a long list of tasks outlined in section 12 including carrying out of environment surveys, coordinate research, coordinate efforts of other public bodies, provide opinions to the Council, and prepare an annual report on the state of the environment. Articles 16 and 17 lay down principles of environmental awareness for public institutions and article 18 makes provision for environment impact assessment statements for any project. Article 19 prohibits various operations damaging the environment including discharge of waste water and other waste and use of explosives for hunting or fishing.