COP28 host UAE choking from its own ‘toxic’ air pollution: HRW
COP28 host UAE choking from its own 'toxic' air pollution: HRW FRANCE 24 English
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The United Arab Emirates Faces Alarming Air Pollution Levels
Dubai (AFP) –
The United Arab Emirates is choking under “alarmingly high” air pollution levels fed by its fossil fuel industry, according to a report by Human Rights Watch. The oil-rich country is currently hosting the UN’s COP28 climate talks in Dubai.
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Air Pollution and Human Rights
Air pollution in the United Arab Emirates is a “dirty secret” that is suppressed due to limited dissent in the country, according to Human Rights Watch. The report highlights that the high levels of air pollution pose major health risks for the population.
Impact on Sustainable Development Goals
The United Arab Emirates’ air pollution crisis is particularly significant in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The country’s reliance on fossil fuel production and usage contributes to the emission of toxic pollutants into the air, undermining efforts to achieve SDG 13: Climate Action.
Findings of the HRW Report
The HRW report analyzed government air pollution data and satellite imagery from 2018 to 2023, revealing dangerously high air pollution levels in the country. It refutes claims that pollution is primarily caused by desert dust, citing a 2022 study published by Nature that found over 90% of fine-particulate matter in the Arabian Peninsula to be man-made.
The report identifies burning fossil fuels for transportation, heating, waste incineration, electricity generation, and other industrial activities as major sources of pollution in the UAE.
Importance of Addressing Fossil Fuel Pollution
“Fossil fuels pollute the air people breathe in the UAE,” said Richard Pearshouse, HRW’s environment director. However, the suppression of civil society in the UAE hinders public expression of concerns and criticism towards the government’s failure to prevent this harm.
Air Pollution during COP28
Air pollution levels have been particularly high during the opening days of the COP28 climate talks in Dubai. The smog has engulfed the city state, reaching officially “unhealthy” levels over the weekend, according to the WAQI.info tracking site.
Health Impacts and Vulnerable Populations
The report highlights that PM2.5 pollution levels in the UAE, which are fine particles that can enter the bloodstream through the lungs, were triple the World Health Organization’s air-quality guidelines on average in September. The WHO estimates that outdoor air pollution leads to approximately 1,872 deaths per year in the UAE, with migrant workers being the most vulnerable population.
“(The) UAE is a factory that produces patients. The workers return with disease. There are very few people who leave here with a healthy body,” HRW quoted one migrant worker as saying.
© 2023 AFP
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