UAE's 'Alarmingly High' Air Pollution Levels Pose Major Health Risks, Says HRW

The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 1,872 deaths a year in the UAE are due to outdoor air pollution, with migrant workers being most at risk.

• Human Rights Watch (HRW) warns that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is suffering from 'alarmingly high' levels of air pollution, largely due to its fossil fuel industry.
• HRW's analysis of government air pollution data and satellite imagery from 2018 to 2023 found 'dangerously high air pollution levels' in the UAE, posing major health risks to its population.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 1,872 deaths a year in the UAE are due to outdoor air pollution, with migrant workers being most at risk.
• The UAE government attributes the poor air quality mainly to natural dust from sandstorms, but HRW cites a 2022 study that found more than 90% of fine-particulate matter was man-made.
• HRW criticizes the UAE government for stifling public dissent, stating that the 'obliteration of civil society' prevents public expression of concerns or criticism of the government's handling of the pollution issue.

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CNA The Guardian Human Rights Watch