With one tap of their finger, Iraqis can now report environmental pollution plaguing their communities on a new app, and start campaigns encouraging the government to take action.
Activist Wissam Jaafar Radi recently launched the app, The Environmental Platform, in a groundbreaking effort to combat the devastating effects of widespread pollution in the country.
“The idea behind the app was to make it easier for citizens to be part of the environment protection system,” he told The National.
Mr Radi, who heads the Baghdad-based Tawasul for Youth Empowerment NGO, believes that raising awareness among citizens can be a game-changer in the fight against pollution, and could save Iraq from an environmental catastrophe.
“I believe that raising awareness among citizens can be a powerful tool to pressure the government and decision-makers into taking meaningful actions,” he said.
“Pollution in Iraq is catastrophic,” warned Mr Radi. “It affects every aspect of our lives, from our health and well-being to the destruction of our natural ecosystems. We must act now to protect our homeland.”
Through the user-friendly app, Iraqis cannot only report pollution-related issues but also pinpoint their exact location on an interactive map.
But the app goes beyond just reporting; it serves as a rallying platform where activists and concerned citizens can launch targeted campaigns to combat environmental issues.
From air pollution to water contamination and improper waste disposal, ordinary Iraqis can play a role in demanding more action from decision-makers.
A dedicated team verifies reports carefully before publishing them on the app, and preparing detailed assessments to be sent directly to the relevant government departments.
“We want to ensure that the government receives accurate and evidence-backed information,” Mr Radi said. “This will bolster our fight against pollution and make it harder for them to turn a blind eye.”
Mr Radhi's brainchild has gained swift and significant traction with thousands of Iraqis joining the movement to fight against pollution.
Between 50 to 70 reports are sent everyday on the NGO's Facebook page and app, he said.
“You can’t imagine the extent of the pollution nationwide. Every 50 to 100 kilometres there is an environmental problem,” he said.
The environmental situation in Iraq is very bad and we are going to face a real catastrophe
Wissam Jaafar Radi,
Activist
Reports received so far have included complaints of untreated sewage and factory waste being discharged into rivers, unlicensed melting metal and chemical factories, crude oil spillages and pollution caused by oil companies, he added.
“This is a game-changer!” Ahmed Abdullah Al Shalash, head of the Farmers Association in Salaheddin province, north of Baghdad, told The National. “We finally have a voice, and it's being heard. Together, we can reclaim our environment.”
When ISIS overran large parts of northern and western Iraq in mid-2014, they extracted crude oil from a number of fields to secure funds needed for their operations.
Among them were the Alas and Ajeel oilfields in the Hamrin mountains in northern Iraq, about 15 kilometres away from Mr Al Shalash's hometown, Al Alam. The militants constructed large earthen basins for collecting crude oil before loading it into tankers.
“That allowed the crude oil to seep into the soil through cracks, and the rainwater also carried it in the valleys to find its way to the agricultural areas in and around Al Alam,” Mr Al Shalash said.
“Since then, whenever it rains our lands and wells get damaged. We have been appealing for help, to no avail,” he added.
This year, at least 500 hectares of wheat and dozens of wells have been damaged, causing financial losses of up to 15 million Iraqi dinar (about $11,000) for each farmer, he said.
An advocacy campaign on the environmental app features striking pictures and videos of the pollution, encouraging people to sign a petition.
Those efforts seem to have paid off as Mr Al Shalash is set to meet Iraq's Environment Minister Nazar Amedi to discuss the issues raised.
Decades of war, UN-imposed sanctions, political and security instability and mismanagement have pushed pollution in Iraq to worrying levels.
The country is plagued by oil pollution, discharging untreated waste into waterways and even nuclear and dioxin contamination.
“The environmental situation in Iraq is very bad. We are going to face a real catastrophe and there is a shortage in reliable data from the government,” Mr Radi said.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
RESULT
Manchester United 1 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Man United: Dunk (66' og)
Man of the Match: Shane Duffy (Brighton)
Results:
5pm: Baynunah Conditions (UAE bred) Dh80,000 1,400m.
Winner: Al Tiryaq, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Abdullah Al Hammadi (trainer).
5.30pm: Al Zahra Handicap (rated 0-45) Dh 80,000 1,400m:
Winner: Fahadd, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi.
6pm: Al Ras Al Akhdar Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m.
Winner: Jaahiz, Jesus Rosales, Eric Lemartinel.
6.30pm: Al Reem Island Handicap Dh90,000 1,600m.
Winner: AF Al Jahed, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel.
7pm: Al Khubairah Handicap (TB) 100,000 2,200m.
Winner: Empoli, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap Dh80,000 2,200m.
Winner: Shivan OA, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
Wydad 2 Urawa 3
Wydad Nahiri 21’, Hajhouj 90'
Urawa Antonio 18’, 60’, Kashiwagi 26’
Honeymoonish
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
South Africa squad
: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wkt), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
England's lowest Test innings
- 45 v Australia in Sydney, January 28, 1887
- 46 v West Indies in Port of Spain, March 25, 1994
- 51 v West Indies in Kingston, February 4, 2009
- 52 v Australia at The Oval, August 14, 1948
- 53 v Australia at Lord's, July 16, 1888
- 58 v New Zealand in Auckland, March 22, 2018
The biog
Name: James Mullan
Nationality: Irish
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
MATCH INFO
Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, May 3
Live: On BeIN Sports HD
MATCH INFO
Europa League final
Who: Marseille v Atletico Madrid
Where: Parc OL, Lyon, France
When: Wednesday, 10.45pm kick off (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
From Conquest to Deportation
Jeronim Perovic, Hurst
Try out the test yourself
Q1 Suppose you had $100 in a savings account and the interest rate was 2 per cent per year. After five years, how much do you think you would have in the account if you left the money to grow?
a) More than $102
b) Exactly $102
c) Less than $102
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q2 Imagine that the interest rate on your savings account was 1 per cent per year and inflation was 2 per cent per year. After one year, how much would you be able to buy with the money in this account?
a) More than today
b) Exactly the same as today
c) Less than today
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q4 Do you think that the following statement is true or false? “Buying a single company stock usually provides a safer return than a stock mutual fund.”
a) True
b) False
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
The “Big Three” financial literacy questions were created by Professors Annamaria Lusardi of the George Washington School of Business and Olivia Mitchell, of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Answers: Q1 More than $102 (compound interest). Q2 Less than today (inflation). Q3 False (diversification).
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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