Air pollution in Iraq is one of many environmental issues the country faces. As of 2022, it ranked second in having the worst air quality in the world, only behind Chad. That quality has continued as Iraqi oil fields grow, tainting the air around them and making Iraq the most polluted country in the Middle East.

The Environmental Protection Agency defines small inhalable particles as particulate matter and any particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less are expressed as PM 2.5. Using this measurement sets a standard of what is breathable and what is harmful to the human body. Iraq’s national average is nearly two times higher than World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. These particles are small enough to get into the lungs and bloodstream, which can have disastrous impacts on major organs.

Air pollution in Iraq is affecting those struggling in poverty the most, which is nearly 25% of the population. They are more likely to live near industrial regions, including oil fields where air quality is at its worst, and have less access to affordable health care when compared to higher-income homes.

Steps are being taken to right the ship, and at the start of 2023, Iraq implemented a tree-planting initiative aiming to plant 5 million trees throughout the country that will clean up the air and combat desertification. It will also improve soil fertility and increase the availability of clean water, which is massively beneficial considering how prone Iraq is to droughts.

The Oil Boom

The main contributors to air pollution in Iraq are its massive oil fields in both the North and South. Oil operations in the country account for “95% of foreign exchange earnings,” according to the Iraqi Embassy in Washington, D.C. It produces slightly less than 4 million barrels per day as of now, but the Iraqi parliament has agreed on a plan to raise that number above 5 million barrels per day. It is the fifth largest producer of crude oil in the world, and while this has positive effects on Iraq’s economy, those who live near the oil fields see a very different reality.

Gas flaring describes the burning of excess methane gas when drilling for oil. In countries with strong infrastructure, this excess gas can be reused for further oil production or be processed and consumed for power generation; not so in Iraq. Gas flaring creates huge flames that release toxic gasses like benzene, which, when humans are exposed, causes cells not to work as they should. Exposure can lead to the loss of white blood cells and even death when ingested at high levels. The gas is so dangerous that Iraqi laws prohibit any oil and gas infrastructure from being closer than 10 kilometers from residential areas — but enforcement of those laws is insufficient. 

The Oil Field in Rumaila

In the southern city of Rumaila sits the third largest oil field in the world, which happens to be less than five kilometers away from residential housing, where almost 50% of residents live in poverty. The government has agreed to end what they call routine flaring, even going as far as signing a plan designed by the World Bank to find better uses for the excess gas.

Iraq is finding other ways it can improve its air quality and climate effects as a whole. With the help of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment revised multiple policies that address the country’s greenhouse emissions in the oil and gas sectors and also in agriculture, which will improve air quality. The 2021 commitment will see Iraq use excess methane in electricity production and have better control over crops that produce methane in higher numbers. The goal behind the changes taking place is for Iraq to lower usual greenhouse admissions by 15% by 2035.

Effects on Children

Air pollution in Iraq can be attributed to Western oil companies just as much as to Iraq itself. Oil giant BP practices flaring near Basra at the Rumaila oil field. Higher rates of cancer have been noticed, and many of them have been children. It has gotten so bad that Jassem al-Falahi, Iraqi Environmental Minister, had to admit a link between the two does exist, yet the Minister of Oil continues to deny all connections between air pollution and cancer rates.

Multidimensional poverty describes households that find themselves deprived of needs like education and basic infrastructure services. It is a unit of measure beyond monetary poverty and one in two Iraqi children face this obstacle. Living in poverty means less resilience to climate-related changes including air pollution.

Air pollution in Iraq is a problem that can be improved if those in high government positions can see eye to eye. Gas flaring affects the air quality, and there is a clear link between rising cancer rates and the burning of chemicals like benzene. The chemicals burned can be reused and be beneficial for Iraqis, especially those in poverty. It can be used for more oil production or to generate power in a country where middle-income homes rely on generators for 10 hours per day for power. Those in poverty do not have access to the funds needed to power generators so reusing oil byproducts solves multiple issues. 

– Benett Crim
Photo: Flickr