Chapter 2: State of the Environment and Policy Response


Table 2.5.1 West Asia deaths attributable to ambient air pollution, 2004 and 2008


Country


Bahrain Iraq


Jordan Kuwait


Lebanon Oman OPT


Qatar Saudi Arabia


Syrian Arab Republic


UAE Yemen


2004 0


45 2 1 1 1


n/a 0 2 1


0 5


Number of deaths


per 100’000 children under 5 years


2008 0


12 3 1 1 1


n/a 1 2 2


1 5


in children under 5 years


2004 0


1 945 11 2 4 3


n/a 0


55 30


1 178


2008 0


555 26 1 2 2


n/a 1


65 44


2 184


months. The low intensity of dust in winter is probably due to the lack of thunderstorm activity, high-pressure conditions, and a lack of strong winds. In summer months, increased dust activity is ascribed to several factors including increases in wind velocity, thunderstorm activity and strong heating of the landmass, which induces unstable conditions and convective low-pressure systems.


Despite the lack of precise aggregate data on falling dust in West Asia, individual country data can give a feeling of its intensity. Along the coastal area of Kuwait, the annual amount of dust fall-out can reach 1 000 tonnes per square kilometre with an overall mean concentration of 200 micrograms per cubic metre (Khalaf et al. 1980) Dust can contains various substances, including hydrocarbons, trace elements, heavy metals, sulphates and nitrates. In one study in Kuwait’s Shuwaikh city (Al-Harbi 2015), falling dust


Although West Asian countries have low levels of industrialisation compared to other industrialised regions, there is a well- established oil and petrochemical industrial sector. Furthermore, the region’s population is growing fast, resulting in intense construction activity and an increase in transportation-related activities, thus producing air pollution hotspots.


The level of air pollutants in West Asia has increased progressively over the past two decades. Figure 2.5.2 shows the trends in emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2 oxides (NOx


) and nitrogen ) for the period of 1990–2000.


From 2000 onward, there are no aggregated emissions data for West Asia, and the more recent trends in emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, shown in Figure 2.5.3 & Figure 2.5.4, are based on simulated trends.


It is evident that West Asia’s emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are increasing relative to 1970 levels. In


79


was composed of soluble matter (nitrates, sulphates, and chloride), with sulphates the highest inorganic component at an average of approximately 2.37 tonnes per square kilometre per month. The major insoluble matter measured comprised ash, silica, combustible matter and tar, with ash accounting for 58.46 per cent of total dust.


Storms carry fine sand and dust over long distances, with negative impacts including substantial reduction of visibility that hinders various activities and causes increased traffic accidents, and may increase the occurrence of vertigo in aircraft pilots (Hagen and Woodruff 1973; Morales 1979; Middleton and Chaudhary1988; Dayan et al. 1991; Yong- Seung and Ma-Beong 1996). Furthermore, dust storms are known to have various adverse impacts on human health and entire ecosystems; they are associated with the prevalance of asthma and a range of allergic and non-allergic respiratory alliments in West Asia. West Asian countries have realized that international cooperation and joint research are important in tackling sand and dust storms (More...14).


Man-made sources of air pollution


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