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1. Introduction
Transport and industry are the major causes of air pollution in the world. The automobile industry for example is the highest contributor of air pollution in the world. Major cities all over the world are grappling with the effects of automobile and industrial pollution on the environment and are developing ways through which this situation can be brought under control. As an issue under study, cities around the world are increasing pollution levels despite the danger they pose to peoples’ health and the environment. The reason for this rise in pollution is due to a rise in the world’s population and a subsequent increase in industrial activity and automobile purchases.
2. Background information
Dubai city is the capital of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Dubai’s air pollution is at it highest especially because of exhaust fumes from automobiles. An evaluation of the pollution levels in the city revealed that exhaust emissions by cars are five times higher than other areas in the world. This phenomenon has been occasioned by the fact that fuel costs in the country are very low as compared to other regions in the world (Corder). Low fuel costs make it possible for people to buy more cars and this in effect increases the number of vehicles on the road and subsequent air pollution levels.
The industry boom in Dubai has also contributed to the air pollution menace in the country. Refining oil and gas products, electricity creation, the manufacturing of cement and other products have all contributed to green house emissions in the country. The impact on the environment has been devastating on some level and the city authorities have tried to offer solutions to the problem. However, controlling such emissions has a negative impact on the country’s economy. This is because people livelihoods depend on such industries besides government regulation pushes up the cost of manufacturing and subsequent costs of living. Consequently, the city of Dubai is faced with the dilemma of reducing green house emissions while at the same time ensuring that they do not interfere with peoples’ livelihoods drastically.
The issue of air pollution has been a major problem in Dubai for quite a while. Measures to control the situation started in 1988 through the Environmental Protection and Safety Section in the government of Dubai. The monitoring programs for basic air pollution were updated in 1993 and 1994 and have continued to expand over the years. Nonetheless, the measures taken to curb pollution have not reduced the levels of green house emissions and environmental waste. Instead, Dubai is considered one of the largest contributors to pollution, air or otherwise, in the world. This situation will continue to deteriorate if stiffer measures are not taken to curb the danger pollution poses to life and the environment.
3. Methodology
The subject of this study is industrial and automobile air pollution in Dubai. The study identifies how this problem has been countered by reviewing information from news articles over the internet. Each document reviewed contains information relating to air pollution with regard to automobile and industrial green house emissions in Dubai. An analysis of the material was done to derive statistical and other relevant data with regard to the effects and levels of green house emission in the city of Dubai. The data is then compared with past data to ascertain whether the systems have been effective in reducing air pollution in the city. The data collected is then used to determine the success or failure of the measures employed by the city of Dubai.
4. Results
The analysis revealed that there is a steady rise in air pollution with regard to motor vehicle exhaust and industrial activity in Dubai. The analysis revealed that 42% of air pollution in Dubai emanated from the exhaust fumes produced by automobiles (Naidu-Ghelani). This is evident from the fact that the traffic situation in Dubai has been ranked as one of the worst in the developed world. These emissions include hydrocarbons, nitrogen gas, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. In 2009, Dubai was home to 1,021,880 vehicles emitting 23,34[0],762 kilograms of carbon dioxide (Rasheed). About 70,000 diesel cars in the city emit over 1.7 million kilograms of carbon dioxide daily and about 2,500 diesel trucks produce an estimated 56,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide on a daily basis (Rasheed). However, the country has adopted measures to ensure that these levels are reduced by launching the largest solar power electricity generation in the Middle East in 2008. This scheme aims at cutting down carbon dioxide emissions by 351 tons every year.
A report by the World Bank in 2011 identified the highest industrial pollutants as being either an oil producing nation or a rapidly growing developing country. The United Arab Emirates was ranked seventh owing to the oil and gas industries and transportation sector (Naidu-Ghelani). The report also claimed that the Dubai was one of the worst traffic polluters in the world. The country plastic bag industry, a subsidiary of the oil industry, was also identified as a major cause of pollution. Out of the 500 billion paper bags used in the world, the U.A.E in which Dubai is a member, uses over 20 billion of these plastic bags (Naidu-Ghelani). These statistics are proof of the fact that Dubai is among the world’s worst polluters.
The worsening air pollution problem in Dubai is a consequence of rapid urbanization and a rapid rate in motorization in the city. In 2007, there was an increase of 30% in the number of automobiles in the city. In the same year, statistics revealed that Dubai had an average of 541 vehicles per every one thousand people. This is higher than other major cites in the world like New York, where the rate is at 441 per one thousand people (Corder). The number of trips made by vehicles in the city stood at 3.1 million trips daily in 2007, this is expected to rise to 13.1 million trips a day by 2020 (Corder). The rising trend in the number of motor vehicles in the city escalates pollution and subsequently, health and environmental issues continue to falter.
The pollution by the industrial and transport sector have not only affected the environment in Dubai but also had a negative impact on the populations’ health. An assessment of the news articles revealed that over 850 deaths every year arise from pollution in the United Arab Emirates, which Dubai is part of (Todorova). Ozone smog is considered one of the main causes of these deaths. The ozone smog forms when nitrogen oxides present in car exhaust react under direct sunlight and with other pollutants referred to as unstable organic compounds. The ozone smog cause respiratory diseases that in turn may lead to loss of life. Particulate matter that is present in exhaust fumes also poses great health risks. Air pollution, despite high levels of development in Dubai, makes the city lose its appeal in the global scene as investors and tourists are more cautious due to health concerns.
Works Cited
Corder, R. “Dubai’s traffic pollution among world’s worst”. Arabian Business.com. 7 March 2008. web. 16 Oct 2012. <http://www.arabianbusiness.com/dubai-s-traffic-pollution-among-world-s-worst-52827.html>
Naidu-Ghelani, R. “World’s Most Polluted Countries”. CNBC.com, 5 October 2011.web. 16 Oct 2012. <http://www.cnbc.com/id/44781282/World_s_Most_Polluted_Countries>
Rasheed P.M.A. “42% air pollution in Dubai caused by vehicles”. The Gulf Today, 7 February 2011.web. 16 Oct 2012. < http://gulftoday.ae/portal/1c206a59-f6cc-4c2e-b3c1-d131dac84a4b.aspx >
Todorova, V. “850 deaths each year linked to air pollution”. The National, 4 October 2009. web. 16 Oct 2012. <http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/health/850-deaths-each-year-linked-to-air-pollution>
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