Evidence of oil pollution was found near the coast of Kuwait in early April, with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming it had targeted energy and petrochemical facilities across the region in retaliatory attacks.
Climate and environmental news platform The Climate Watch reported that “if the situation spirals out of control, it could threaten the livelihoods of thousands of people, particularly coastal communities dependent on fishing”.
For instance, oil contamination could poison fish stocks, jeopardising both food security and income sources.
“Another major concern is desalination plants,” The Climate Watch added. “Nearly 100m people in Gulf countries rely on these facilities for freshwater. Oil pollution could damage filtration systems, potentially triggering a serious drinking water crisis.”
Cleanup efforts will be challenging
The Climate Watch also noted that cleanup efforts will face “immense challenges due to difficult terrain, complex geography and ongoing conflict, making response operations nearly impossible”.
According to Greenline, a Turkish environment and agriculture news department under Anadolu Ajansi, previous cleanup efforts were hindered by bombardments.