Hot weather is a daily reality in the UAE and the Gulf at large in the summer, but soaring temperatures are not the only potential hazard presented by the outdoor environment.
Air quality often falls below recommended World Health Organisation guidelines, risking both short and long-term health consequences, and effects are often particularly severe at this time of year.
The issue is highlighted by air quality indices, such as those from the air purifier company IQAir, which uses data from several organisations including the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi. In Abu Dhabi for much of this week, the index indicates that the air is “unhealthy for sensitive groups”, with an air quality index (AQI) of between 100 and 150. The AQI is forecast to increase on Monday to 155, categorised simply as “unhealthy”.
Conditions are then forecast to remain "unhealthy for sensitive groups" from Tuesday to Saturday.
In Dubai, things will be slightly better, with the AQI set to remain below 150 in the coming days and to dip under 100 early next week, which represents “moderate” pollution.
In Doha, Qatar, the AQI is set to remain above 150 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday while in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, it is less severe, remaining under 100 early next week. There are multiple factors causing pollution in the region’s air, according to analysts.
“The main sources of air pollution in the GCC include vehicular emissions, industrial activities, electricity generation, trash burning and dust storms,” said Salman Zafar, who runs a Qatar-based environmental consultancy, EcoMena.
“Anthropogenic and natural sources of air pollution present equal environmental and public health concerns to the region.”
Growing challenge
Environmental organisations are keen to see improvements, with Julien Jreissati, a programme director for Greenpeace Mena, describing air pollution in the Mena region as “an escalating crisis” that is not being adequately addressed.
Whether caused by dust storms or emissions from transport and energy, air pollution was, he said, “deeply tied to our reliance on fossil fuels”.
“Dust storms are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, while our current models for transport and energy remain heavily dependent on polluting fuels like oil and gas,” he said.
A major factor in air quality is the presence of tiny particles or particulate matter, with much of the focus being on those up to 2.5 microns in size (PM2.5).
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The 2023 World Air Quality Report, released earlier this year by IQAir, said that UAE’s average concentration of PM2.5s was 43.0µg/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre), more than eight times the World Health Organisation’s recommended maximum of 5µg/m3. Several other Gulf nations had lower figures, but not substantially so.
PM2.5s are regarded as particularly harmful, with the US Environmental Protection Agency reporting that they can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.
Long-term health effects include an increased risk of lung cancer and heart disease, while research has shown that short-term exposure can lead to higher rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and respiratory infections.
According to the UAE Air Emissions Inventory Project, which analysed pollution sources caused by people, industry accounted for two-thirds of the country’s PM2.5s, while road transport accounted for about one-fifth. Desalination and power generation were responsible for about three per cent.
Because air quality is affected by dust in the air, which is in turn influenced by meteorological conditions, seasonal patterns are seen.
Seasonal fluctuations
Dr Bassam Mahboub, a pulmonary specialist and head of the Emirates Allergy and Respiratory Society, said that dust storms peaked in March and April when many people with asthma fell ill, and there was another spike during the summer.
“When there is increased humidity there is more concentration of dust and some asthmatic people tend to get worse during the high humidity times,” he said.
“We always, always ask them not to expose themselves to the outside environment and to wear a mask, but also to keep on taking their medication and if they’re not feeling better, to see their doctor.”
Dr Diana Francis, an assistant professor and head of the Environmental and Geophysical Sciences Lab at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, said that two crucial factors caused dust activity to increase in the summer.
“The soil is very dry, and the atmospheric circulation over the region induced by the African and the Indian monsoons favours high winds near the surface,” she said.
“Additionally, some locally developing clouds produce dust emissions just before the rain.”
In terms of industrial pollution, Dr Francis said that wind generally blew pollutants towards residential areas, although she said that this changed from one season to the next and even during the day, especially because of the circulation of air between land and sea.
While poor air quality in the UAE is partly the result of local pollution sources, what is happening beyond the nation’s borders also has an effect.
“An important part of pollutants found in the UAE’s atmosphere comes from the other countries around the Arabian Gulf due to shamal winds,” Dr Francis said.
Plans in place
In September 2022 the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment launched the UAE National Air Quality Agenda 2031, which aims to ensure that both the public and private sectors take action to cut air pollution.
While the UAE’s rapid development has had an effect in terms of emissions from industry and road transport, for example, one perhaps unexpected bonus is that it appears to have reduced dust levels.
“The UAE is seeing a decrease in dust levels,” Dr Francis said. “Land use land cover studies have shown that more areas have changed from bare soil to built areas or planted ones, which reduces the areas exposed to winds and hence dust emissions.
“Another factor is the increase in rainfall witnessed in recent decades, which reduces dustiness as well.”
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
By Fiona Sampson
Profile
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- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
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Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5
The Settlers
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
