The Central Bank of Iraq announced measures to support cleaner energy use and environmental sustainability, including extending its renewable energy soft loan initiative to local brick factories and providing funding to an environmental fund. Under the initiative, brick plants will be eligible for soft loans to switch from polluting fuel (black oil) to cleaner fuel (liquefied gas) to reduce air pollution, with the loan ceiling increased to IQD 500 million per plant and channelled through licensed Iraqi banks. The Central Bank of Iraq also decided to support the Environmental Protection and Improvement Fund with IQD 1 billion to address air pollution and related environmental changes, in coordination with the Ministry of Environment.