Basra faces environmental crisis amid government denial of air pollution concerns
According to Mahdi Tamimi, the head of the Basra Human Rights Office, the city's air quality is deteriorating rapidly due to multiple sources, including dust storms, industrial emissions, and the byproducts of oil extraction.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Iraqi Ministry of Environment has denied claims of severe air pollution in Basra, despite growing concerns from local human rights organizations and health officials. The Basra Human Rights Office has contradicted the ministry’s stance, warning that the city is experiencing a significant environmental crisis, with air pollution levels reportedly 60% higher than safe limits.
According to Mahdi Tamimi, the head of the Basra Human Rights Office, the city's air quality is deteriorating rapidly due to multiple sources, including dust storms, industrial emissions, and the byproducts of oil extraction. He emphasized that the equipment intended to monitor environmental conditions is largely nonfunctional, leaving the true extent of pollution untracked.
Tamimi expressed grave concerns about the health implications, noting a substantial increase in respiratory diseases, kidney and liver conditions, and a troubling rise in cancer cases. “By the end of 2023, studies showed a 60% spike in air pollution in the central province. The number of cancer patients has exceeded 9,000, with tens of thousands more suffering from related illnesses,” he told Kurdistan24.
Riya Habib, head of the Basra Health Department, echoed these concerns, highlighting the dangers posed by the continuous release of harmful chemicals into the environment. "If these pollutants persist, we risk not only further contamination of the air but also of the soil, potentially leading to the widespread development of cancerous diseases," Habib said in a statement.
Despite these alarming reports, the Ministry of Environment, along with some other government officials, continues to downplay the severity of the pollution crisis, maintaining that the situation is under control.
As Basra's residents grapple with the escalating health crisis, the disconnect between local and national authorities underscores a growing urgency for effective environmental monitoring and intervention in the region. Without immediate action, experts warn that the city could face a severe public health emergency in the near future.
