GULF: ARAB COUNTRIES WAKING UP TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
ABU DHABI, Dic 24 (IPS) - MORE THAN 60 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE NO ACCESS TO SAFE WATER IN THE ARAB WORLD AND NINE ARAB COUNTRIES ARE CONSUMING MORE THAN 100 PERCENT OF THEIR RENEWABLE WATER SUPPLIES, SAYS THE WORLD BANK.
CONSERVATIVE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES SHOW THAT WATER AND AIR POLLUTION, TOGETHER WITH LAND DEGRADATION, ARE COSTING ARAB STATES MORE THAN 10 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, THE WORLD BANK'S LATEST REPORT ON THE REGION SAYS.
'THE HEALTH COSTS OF POLLUTION-RELATED DISEASES ALONE ACCOUNT FOR WELL OVER HALF OF THE TOTAL," THE REPORT SAYS.
OVER 45 MILLION ARABS LIVE IN CITIES WITH UNACCEPTABLE AIR POLLUTION LEVELS, DR. SHERIF ARIF, SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST OF THE WORLD BANK'S MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA (MENA) REGION TOLD AN ENVIRONMENTAL SYMPOSIUM ON ECOSYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HERE LAST WEEK.
"NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A SERIOUS WATER SCARCITY AND POLLUTION PROBLEM, BUT WILL HAVE ALSO IN 10 YEARS A MAJOR AIR POLLUTION PROBLEM WITH ONE IN THREE ARABS LIVING IN CITIES WITH UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF AIR POLLUTION. IT IS A CRISIS IN THE MAKING."
DR. ARIF URGED ARAB COUNTRIES TO URGENTLY REVIEW THEIR EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES AND EXAMINE OPTIONS TO MOBILISE RESOURCES AND PUBLIC OPINION FOR FIGHTING NATURAL RESOURCE SCARCITY AND POLLUTION.
"AIR POLLUTION FROM VEHICLES ALONE IS EXPECTED TO JUMP BY MORE THAN 60 PERCENT, WHILE TOXIC POLLUTION AND MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE WILL GROW BY 50 PERCENT," ACCORDING TO THE WORLD BANK.
THE BANK CALLED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTIONS AND AWARENESS IN INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES. IT ALSO URGED INVESTMENT AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES.
ONE REGIONAL STATE THAT SEEMS TO BE TAKING THE WARNINGS SERIOUSLY IS THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) THAT HAS BEEN CELEBRATING ECOLOGY WEEK IN A BIG WAY SINCE DEC 17.
PARADES AND CARAVANS PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS HAVE BEEN MARCHING THROUGH THE CITY EVERY DAY, EXHORTING CITIZENS TO HEED CALLS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT.
OFFICIALS SAY A NEW SET OF ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDELINES ARE BEING FRAMED FOR THE COUNTRY AND SOPHISTICATED AIR AND MARINE POLLUTION NETWORKS ARE BEING INSTALLED.
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