A recent report from the air quality monitoring database IQAir highlights the global air pollution crisis, revealing that only 17% of cities worldwide meet established air quality guidelines. The analysis, which utilized data from 40,000 monitoring stations across 138 countries, identified Chad, Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India as the countries with the most polluted air. Notably, six of the nine cities with the highest pollution levels are located in India, with Byrnihat being the most affected.
Experts caution that the actual pollution levels may be significantly underestimated due to inadequate monitoring in many regions, particularly in Africa, where there is only one monitoring station for every 3.7 million residents. Efforts to improve air quality monitoring have included the addition of 8,954 new locations and around a thousand new monitors this year.
The report also underscores the health implications of air pollution, linking long-term exposure to respiratory illnesses, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution is responsible for approximately 7 million deaths annually. WHO data shows that 99% of the global population lives in areas that do not meet recommended air quality standards.
Some cities, such as Beijing and Seoul, have improved their air quality through stricter regulations on emissions and investment in cleaner energy and public transportation. Additionally, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has made efforts to address transboundary haze pollution, though results have been limited.
Shweta Narayan from the Global Climate and Health Alliance emphasizes the interconnectedness of air pollution and climate change, suggesting that reducing greenhouse gas emissions could also lead to better air quality.
