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Assignment: Iraq: Under poisoned skies

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27. Kids at fence Nahran Omar wide (C) Hussein Faleh _ BBC.JPEG

10/11/2022 GMT

Iraq: Under poisoned skies

BBC World Service - Assignment, Iraq: Under poisoned skies

The toxic impact of gas flaring on people and the environment in southern Iraq

A BBC investigation reveals the deadly impact of gas flaring from oil fields around Basra in southern Iraq.

A BBC Arabic investigation reveals the deadly impact of toxic air pollution on children and the planet from oil fields in southern Iraq. Around the city of Basra  flames and smoke from gas flares are visible right across the horizon. Despite laws that say flaring – the burning off of excess gas from oil production – should not happen within 10km of people’s homes, many local residents live much closer than that. The BBC has found that the rates of cancer, particularly leukaemia, in children living in the area are significantly elevated. Working with a local scientist, air and urine samples are taken to see if the gas flares might be responsible. The investigation also finds that the major oil companies often do not include the flaring from these Iraqi fields in their greenhouse gas emissions.    
 
Presenter: Jess Kelly
Producers: Owen Pinnell and John Murphy

(Photo: Children watching gas flares at Nahran Omar oilfield, Basra)

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