The pursuit of fossil fuel production in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is said to have taken an alarming toll on air quality. Recent revelations from a Human Rights Watch (HRW) highlight severe health risks faced by UAE residents and migrant workers, caused by the country’s fossil fuel industry.
The HRW report analysed data from 30 government monitoring stations. It is a review of data from 2018 to 2023, satellite-derived data, and interviews with migrants, exiled Emiratis, academics, and environmental groups.
The report reveals that PM2.5 levels, harmful microscopic particles, soared to nearly three times the daily recommended levels in September 2023. The average concentration of PM10 in 2022 from 50 sites was over eight times the yearly recommendation of the WHO. Outdoor air pollution, a consequence of the UAE’s fossil fuel activities, is estimated to cause 1,872 deaths annually. They include migrants, who constitute 88% of the population, facing the highest risks.
The migrant workers reported health effects such as burning lungs, breathlessness, and itchy skin, with limited information about the risks and no support system.
The pollution levels spiked during the COP28 in Dubai, reaching up to five times above the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations. This poses immediate health risks and contributes to global climate change.
Despite the global scientific consensus to phase out fossil fuels, the UAE, along with countries like the US, Norway, and the UK, continues to expand its oil and gas operations. State-run oil and gas fields in the UAE regularly flare gas, contradicting a commitment made two decades ago to zero routine flaring.
HRW Environment Director Richard Pearshouse pointed out that the lack of civil society due to government actions prevents public expression of concerns or criticism. Pearshouse noted that the UAE government attributes poor air quality to dust from sandstorms, diverting attention from the role of fossil fuel pollution.
Over the past decade, UAE authorities have targeted human rights activists, including environmentalists, using legal measures to silence critics. The HRW report highlights that reporting on the risks of fossil fuel expansion in the UAE carries the risk of unlawful surveillance, arrest, detention, and ill-treatment.