Parliamentary Environment: Pollution in Iraq is the highest in the world

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[size=52]Parliamentary Environment: Pollution in Iraq is the highest in the world[/size]

[size=45]The Parliamentary Health and Environment Committee and the Ministry of Environment identified the causes of the sulfur smell in Baghdad, while indicating that the pollution rate in Iraq is the highest in the world.[/size]
[size=45]The head of the committee, Majid Shankali, said in a press conference, “The committee held a meeting today with the Ministry of Environment regarding the spread of toxic gases, foul odors, and the emission of clouds of gases around the skies of Baghdad and some other areas, especially after the Prime Minister’s decision to form a committee and give the report within 48 hours,” indicating that “the latest reports confirm that the pollution rate in Iraq is the highest in the cities of the world.”[/size]
[size=45]“We discussed many reasons that lead to this result, which is the result of accumulations over the years,” he added, noting that “the reasons for these odors and gases are the burning of heavy fuel oil, as Iraqi oil is high in sulfur and when burned, it generates toxic gases, which is used in the Dora refinery, the Dora thermal power plant, the Al-Quds station in northern Baghdad, and other power stations, and as a result of its use in asphalt and brick factories, which exceed 250 factories, and the use of some balls to smelt copper products and others, and the burning of waste in Nahrawan and Rashid camp.”[/size]
[size=45]He stressed that “we need immediate solutions by enabling the Ministry of Environment to spread across all public sector institutions so that it can play its real role and there will be funding for the ministry,” explaining that “95 percent of pollutants in Iraq are from public sector institutions because the monitoring teams from the Ministry of Environment cannot do their job.”[/size]
[size=45]He explained that "in the 2025 budget, we will work to ensure that there is special funding for the Ministry of Environment," noting that "the Iraqi government had special programs to finance projects related to climate change."[/size]
[size=45]He explained that “there are international refineries in the middle of cities, but they are environmentally friendly, as we need modern technologies and there will be (zero emissions),” noting “the importance of modernizing the Dora refinery because it is located in the heart of Baghdad.”[/size]
[size=45]For his part, the Technical Undersecretary of the Minister of Environment, Jassim Al-Falahi, confirmed during the conference, “We are working in parallel with the major oversight mission carried out by the House of Representatives through specialized committees,” indicating that “the spread of gases and vapors is due to the increase in pollution rates.”[/size]
[size=45]“We have a large record and database regarding polluting activities, as we submit an annual report on the state of the environment in Iraq and monthly reports regarding polluting activities and procedures, which are sent monthly and periodically,” he added, explaining that “the emergence of the phenomenon of bad odors during this period is related to climatic and weather phenomena related to Iraq’s exposure to different currents in addition to the change in wind direction and the increase in humidity levels.”[/size]
[size=45]He added that "the Ministry of Environment is working with all its capabilities despite its limitations by taking legal measures against those who violate environmental conditions," noting that "there is a law on the integrated management of solid waste in the State Council, as this law will solve most of our environmental problems and regulate waste management in Iraq."[/size]
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