The Effect of Natural Gas Flaring on Air Pollution and its contribution to Climate Change in Basra City

Abstract

The effects of climate change differ from one region to another, as its effects are not the same in all regions of the world. The consequences differ from one region to another, according to its geographical location, or according to the ability of the region and its social and environmental systems to adapt to climate change or mitigate its effects. One of the most important factors of climate change is global warming. There are two major sources of global warming: natural and human. The human resource contributes by adding heat and greenhouse gases to the atmosphere because of the global use of fossil fuels, nuclear energy, burning of natural gas, coal, timber, and others. Natural gas flaring is one of the most important challenges facing energy sources and the environment globally and locally. In this study, light was shed on the flaring of natural gas in Basra Governorate and its impact on the environment and climate change. The results showed that burning natural gas in Basra contributes to changing the local climate by adding heat and greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, which led to an increase in the air temperature in the region. In recent years, it has reached (52 degrees Celsius), and it also affects air pollution by increasing concentrations of toxic gases in the atmosphere, and it is one reason for the increase in the number of cancer patients in Basra Governorate. And there was a strong positive correlation between increased gas burning and an increase in cancer cases.