The horizon of Dubai was obscured on Sunday by a polluting layer described as “unhealthy”the same day in which the conference of the climate of the UN (COP28) celebrated a day dedicated to health.
The particle concentration index reached 155 micrograms per m3, according to WAQI.info, a local website that serves to stay informed in real time about the level of pollution.
This pollution, which is known as the PM2.5 index, is considered harmful because it can penetrate the blood.
When air quality drops to these levels, “Everyone can begin to feel the health effects; “People from more sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.”warns the site.
COP28 is the scene of climate negotiations to reduce carbon emissions and stop climate change accelerated by human activities.
Around 80,000 people registered to participate in the largest edition of the conference to date, held in the United Arab Emirates, one of the world’s largest oil producers.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), outdoor air pollution due to fossil fuel emissions kills more than four million people a year because it increases the risk of respiratory diseases, stroke, heart disease, lung cancer , diabetes and other diseases.
The damage is partly due to PM2.5 microparticles, which come mainly from fossil fuels burned by the transport and industrial sectors.
COP28 takes place approximately 11 km from the Jebel Ali seawater desalination and energy complex, which is home to the world’s largest gas-fired power station.
Two other polluting infrastructures are also located nearby, the Jebel Ali port and Al Maktoum international airport, while 200 kilometers to the west is Abu Dhabi’s Bab oil field.
Source: Gestion
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