Toxic Gas Pollutants Spreading in the Middle East
Toxic gas pollutants released during gas flaring are endangering millions more people than previously feared, according to a BBC investigation.
Flaring – the burning of waste gas during oil drilling – is taking place across the gulf, including by cop28 hosts the United Arab Emirates.
New research suggests pollution is spreading hundreds of miles, worsening air quality across the entire region.
It comes as the UAE hosts the United Nations Cop28 climate summit on Thursday.
The gasses are now spreading hundreds of kilometers across the region.
Pollution from wells in Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait were also analyzed as part of the study.
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All of the countries involved either declined to comment or did not respond.
Oil companies managing the sites, including BP and Shell, where flaring took place said they were working to reduce the practice.
On Monday, BBC News revealed leaked documents showed how the UAE had planned to use its role as the host of UN climate talks as an opportunity to strike oil and gas deals.
David R. Boyd, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment said the BBC’s findings were: Very disturbing.
Big oil companies and states in the Middle East are violating the human rights of millions of people by failing to tackle air pollution from fossil fuels.
Despite the massive human suffering, Big Oil and Petrostates carry on with business as usual with total impunity and zero accountability.
