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International audience ; Recently it was discovered that over the Middle East during summer ozone mixing ratios can reach a pronounced maximum in the middle troposphere. Here we extend the analysis to the surface and show that especially in the Persian Gulf region conditions are highly favorable for ozone air pollution. We apply the EMAC atmospheric chemistry-climate model to investigate long-distance transport and the regional formation of ozone. Further, we make use of available in situ and satellite measurements and compare these with model output. The results indicate that the region is a hot spot of photochemical smog where European Union air quality standards are violated throughout the year. Long-distance transports of air pollution from Europe and the Middle East, natural emissions and stratospheric ozone conspire to bring about relatively high background ozone mixing ratios. This provides a hotbed to strong and growing indigenous air pollution in the dry local climate, and these conditions are likely to get worse in the future.

Recently it was discovered that over the Middle East during summer ozone mixing ratios can reach a pronounced maximum in the middle troposphere. Here we extend the analysis to the surface and show that especially in the Persian Gulf region conditions are highly favorable for ozone air pollution. We apply the EMAC atmospheric chemistry-climate model to investigate long-distance transport and the regional formation of ozone. Further, we make use of available in situ and satellite measurements and compare these with model output. The results indicate that the region is a hot spot of photochemical smog where European Union air quality standards are violated throughout the year. Long-distance transports of air pollution from Europe and the Middle East, natural emissions and stratospheric ozone conspire to bring about relatively high background ozone mixing ratios. This provides a hotbed to strong and growing indigenous air pollution in the dry local climate, and these conditions are likely to get worse in the future.

The article seeks to analyze the policy of USA as a self-proclaimed leader of a coalition representing the interest of the North as also its allies and supporters in the South, specially in the context of increasing sense of energy insecurity. This insecurity is caused by a combination of factors like the declining reserves in the North, continued reliance upon oil and gas for commercial energy, and the feeling that not only 'rogue' regimes but also non-state actors pose a threat to free flow of energy at affordable price. That sense of increasing insecurity has prompted the US-led coalition to seek to militarily dominate a substantial part of the oil and gas reserves of the Gulf region, especially after 2003. Of late, steps have also been contemplated to force these states to open their oil and gas sector to oil majors of the North. These policies are likely to be resented, especially at the popular level, in this sensitive region. It remains to be seen whether the policy of dominating the Gulf and its energy resources by stationing large military force will succeed or further add to the sense of insecurity.