Only seven countries met WHO air quality standards in 2024, data shows
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Only seven countries met WHO air quality standards in 2024, data shows

The Hindu  

Only seven countries met World Health Organization air quality standards last year, data showed on Tuesday, as researchers warned that the war on smog would only get harder after the United States shut down its global monitoring efforts. Chad and Bangladesh were the world's most polluted countries in 2024, with average smog levels more than 15 times higher than WHO guidelines, according to figures compiled by Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir. Significant data gaps, especially in Asia and Africa, cloud the worldwide picture, and many developing countries have relied on air quality sensors mounted on U.S. embassy and consulate buildings to track their smog levels. India, fifth in the smog rankings behind Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, saw average PM2.5 fall 7% on the year to 50.6 mg/cu m. But it accounted for 12 of the top 20 most polluted cities, with Byrnihat, in a heavily industrialised part of the country's northeast, in first place, registering an average PM2.5 level of 128 mg/cu m. Climate change is playing an increasing role in driving up pollution, Chester-Schroeder warned, with higher temperatures causing fiercer and lengthier forest fires that swept through parts of South East Asia and South America.

Data Quality Air Countries Chad Iqair  data  air  countries  polluted  standards  met  smog  seven  2024  mgcu  quality  higher  pm25  shows  monitoring

History of this topic

Nearly ALL of the world is breathing dirty air: Shocking map reveals how just 17% of cities have safe levels of air pollution - so, how toxic is your hometown?
Trending News
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Nearly ALL of the world is breathing dirty air: Shocking map reveals how just 17% of cities have safe levels of air pollution - so, how toxic is your hometown?

Daily Mail  

Nearly the entire world is breathing dirty air, a shocking new study has revealed. On this map, only blue circles show areas with levels of air pollution considered safe by the WHO India was home to seven of the nine most polluted cities in the world, including New Delhi which had 91.6 micrograms of PM2.5 particles per square metre of …

Majority Of Earth's Population Breathes Dirty Air, Report Says
Top News
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Majority Of Earth's Population Breathes Dirty Air, Report Says

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING BENGALURU, India — Most of the world has dirty air, with just 17% of cities globally meeting air pollution guidelines, a report Tuesday found. Experts said the real amount of air pollution might be far greater as many parts of the world lack the monitoring needed for more accurate data. But last week, data monitoring for air …

India, Pakistan & Bangladesh in same smog bloc, only 7 countries meet WHO air quality standards
2 weeks, 3 days ago

India, Pakistan & Bangladesh in same smog bloc, only 7 countries meet WHO air quality standards

Firstpost  

India, fifth in the smog rankings behind Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, saw average PM2.5 fall 7% on the year to 50.6 mg/cu m Cows and buffaloes graze on fields on the banks of the polluted Yamuna river on a smoggy morning in New Delhi, India, November 5. Image- Reuters Only seven countries met World Health …

Majority of the world's population breathes dirty air, report says
Top News
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Majority of the world's population breathes dirty air, report says

Associated Press  

BENGALURU, India — Most of the world has dirty air, with just 17% of cities globally meeting air pollution guidelines, a report Tuesday found. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit More air quality monitors are being set up to counter the issue, the report said. Breathing in polluted air over a long …

The list of the world’s top 20 most polluted cities is out. All but one are in Asia
2 weeks, 3 days ago

The list of the world’s top 20 most polluted cities is out. All but one are in Asia

CNN  

CNN — All but one of the world’s top 20 most polluted cities last year were in Asia, a new study shows. Its national annual average PM2.5 concentration decreased from 32.5 micrograms per cubic meter to 31, with air quality improving in megacities like Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, the report said. All 20 of the world’s most polluted …

Majority of the world's population breathes dirty air, report says
Trending News
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Majority of the world's population breathes dirty air, report says

New Indian Express  

BENGALURU: Most of the world has dirty air, with just 17% of cities globally meeting air pollution guidelines, a report Tuesday found. Switzerland-based air quality monitoring database IQ Air analyzed data from 40,000 air quality monitoring stations in 138 countries and found that Chad, Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India had the dirtiest air. But last week, data monitoring for air …

India fails to meet WHO's air quality standard, Assam's Byrnihat most polluted
2 weeks, 3 days ago

India fails to meet WHO's air quality standard, Assam's Byrnihat most polluted

India Today  

Only seven countries have achieved the World Health Organisation's stringent air quality standards for 2024, and India is not one of them. The report said India saw a 7 per cent decline in PM2.5 concentrations in 2024, averaging 50.6 micrograms per cubic metre, compared to 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023. Air pollution in Delhi worsened, with the annual …

Most of the world’s population is breathing dirty air: Report
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Most of the world’s population is breathing dirty air: Report

Al Jazeera  

IQAir study finds that Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and the Democratic Republic of Congo have the dirtiest air. Most of the world’s population is breathing polluted air, with only seven countries meeting World Health Organization air quality standards last year, according to a new report. Switzerland-based air quality monitoring database IQAir unveiled its findings on Tuesday, which draw on data …

Scientists raise concerns as the US stops sharing air quality data from embassies worldwide
Trending News
3 weeks, 1 day ago

Scientists raise concerns as the US stops sharing air quality data from embassies worldwide

Hindustan Times  

NEW DELHI — The U.S. government will stop sharing air quality data gathered from its embassies and consulates, worrying local scientists and experts who say the effort was vital to monitor global air quality and improve public health. Scientists raise concerns as the US stops sharing air quality data from embassies worldwide In response to an inquiry from The Associated …

Scientists raise concerns as the US stops sharing air quality data from embassies worldwide
3 weeks, 2 days ago

Scientists raise concerns as the US stops sharing air quality data from embassies worldwide

Associated Press  

NEW DELHI — The U.S. government will stop sharing air quality data gathered from its embassies and consulates, worrying local scientists and experts who say the effort was vital to monitor global air quality and improve public health. Peoples wear face masks to protect themselves from air pollution in Bangkok, Thailand, Feb. 6, 2025, Peoples wear face masks to protect …

US stops sharing air quality data from embassies worldwide. Scientists say that cuts out a vital resource for global health
3 weeks, 2 days ago

US stops sharing air quality data from embassies worldwide. Scientists say that cuts out a vital resource for global health

CNN  

New Delhi AP — The US government will stop sharing air quality data gathered from its embassies and consulates, worrying local scientists and experts who say the effort was vital to monitor global air quality and improve public health. In response to an inquiry from The Associated Press, the State Department said Wednesday that its air quality monitoring program would …

China aims to eliminate severe air pollution this year
Trending News
1 month ago

China aims to eliminate severe air pollution this year

The Hindu  

China aims to effectively eliminate severe air pollution by the end of 2025, a senior environment official said, as authorities ramp up efforts in pollution control and emissions reduction in the "battle for blue skies." China will improve its air quality forecasting and early warning systems and enhance coordinated management of harmful airborne particles known as PM2.5, as well as …

Bangladesh and Pakistan sit atop world’s ‘most polluted countries’ 2024 list, India is at this spot…
1 month ago

Bangladesh and Pakistan sit atop world’s ‘most polluted countries’ 2024 list, India is at this spot…

Live Mint  

The AQI, ‘2024 World's Most Polluted Countries’ list has nine out of the top 10 spots occupied by South Asian and Middle Eastern countries, data from AQI.in revealed. World's Most Polluted Countries 2024 — Top 10 Among the countries, Bangladesh and Pakistan have topped the unflattering list, sitting at #1 and #2 slots, with AQI levels of 140 and 115, …

Is the air quality index actually useful right now?
2 months, 1 week ago

Is the air quality index actually useful right now?

NPR  

Is the air quality index actually useful right now? But air quality can vary on a hyperlocal scale, meaning the network of official sites is "fairly sparse," says Michael Jerrett, an air pollution expert at the University of California, Los Angeles. toggle caption Chris Pizzello/AP Photo "They emit more toxic material per unit burnt than vegetation," says Colleen Reid, a …

Strengthen institutions to combat air pollution
4 months, 1 week ago

Strengthen institutions to combat air pollution

Hindustan Times  

Northern India has been engulfed by hazardous air. We see the same ideas repeated every year, mostly during peak pollution Air pollution is not a Delhi problem alone. Appreciating the urgency of the need to curb air pollution, in 2019, the ministry of environment, forests and climate change launched the National Clean Air Programme with the bold target of reducing …

India unable to meet WHO air quality standards; airshed approach, US-style EPA needed, says former WHO chief scientist
4 months, 1 week ago

India unable to meet WHO air quality standards; airshed approach, US-style EPA needed, says former WHO chief scientist

Live Mint  

New Delhi: Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist at the World Health Organization, says India should adopt an “airshed approach” to analyze its air pollution crisis and set up an environment protection agency to enforce government rules with strict action. They come as the air quality index in Delhi spikes record levels, forcing the state government to issue emergency orders, …

Air pollution killed 135 million people in last four decades, landmark study finds
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Air pollution killed 135 million people in last four decades, landmark study finds

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Air pollution caused around 135 million premature deaths worldwide in the past four decades, one …

Bihar's Begusarai, ‘world's most polluted city in 2023’; India ranks 3rd globally: Swiss report
1 year ago

Bihar's Begusarai, ‘world's most polluted city in 2023’; India ranks 3rd globally: Swiss report

Hindustan Times  

Bihar's Begusarai topped the list as the “most polluted metropolitan area in 2023”, while Delhi has been identified as the capital city with the “poorest air quality” among global nations, as per the findings of the World Air Quality Report 2023 by the Swiss organization IQAir. India ranked third worst out of 134 countries in terms of average annual PM2.5 …

New Delhi ranks No.1 in poor air quality among 114 National Capitals, reveals study
1 year ago

New Delhi ranks No.1 in poor air quality among 114 National Capitals, reveals study

Op India  

New Delhi has topped the list of the world’s regional capital cities with the poorest air quality. The Swiss air quality technology company found that New Delhi ranked No.1 in Particulate Matter concentration compared to the national capitals of 114 countries. Screengrab of the 2023 World Air Quality Report on India, graphic via IQAir IQAir noted that while India has …

G20 countries falling short on integrating air quality into climate plans
1 year, 5 months ago

G20 countries falling short on integrating air quality into climate plans

Live Mint  

Almost 99% of the world’s population breathes polluted air – much beyond the World Health Organization guideline limits. Now, a new scorecard by Global Climate and Health Alliance shows how the world’s biggest carbon-emitting economies are failing when it comes to integrating air quality into national climate plans. The Clean Air NDC Scorecard, published on 18 October by the Global …

Air pollution now a major risk to life expectancy in South Asia: Study
1 year, 6 months ago

Air pollution now a major risk to life expectancy in South Asia: Study

The Hindu  

Rising air pollution can cut life expectancy by more than five years per person in South Asia, one of the world's most polluted regions, according to a report published on August 29 which flagged the growing burden of hazardous air on health. The region, which includes the world's most polluted countries of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, accounts for more …

The US and Canada saw dangerous smoke this week. It’s a routine peril for many developing countries
1 year, 9 months ago

The US and Canada saw dangerous smoke this week. It’s a routine peril for many developing countries

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Thick, smoky air from Canadian wildfires made for days of misery in New York City and across the U.S. Northeast this week. “Air pollution has no boundaries, and it is high time everyone comes together to fight it,” said Bhavreen Kandhari, the co-founder of Warrior Moms in India, a network of mothers pushing for clean air and climate …

14 of top 20 most polluted cities in the world from India
1 year, 9 months ago

14 of top 20 most polluted cities in the world from India

Hindustan Times  

India fared badly on air pollution index in 2022 even though it improved three places from the previous year on the list of countries with worst air quality, according to a report. According to the annual world air quality report published by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, 15 out of top 20 most polluted cities in the world are …

World's most polluted countries REVEALED - and the worst might surprise you…
1 year, 9 months ago

World's most polluted countries REVEALED - and the worst might surprise you…

Daily Mail  

It is best known for being the situated along the snow-capped mountains of the Himalayas. The World Health Organisation states that annual average concentrations of PM2.5 should not exceed 5µg/m3, while 24-hour average exposures should not exceed 15µg/m3 more than three to four per year. Except for Qatar, each of the top five countries' PM2.5 levels had increased since 1990 …

India ranks eighth among countries with the worst air quality index: World Air Quality Report
2 years ago

India ranks eighth among countries with the worst air quality index: World Air Quality Report

The Hindu  

India has ranked eighth in the list of countries with the worst air quality index and 12 of the 15 most polluted cities in Central and South Asia are in India, according to the Annual World Air Quality Report released by Swiss air quality technology company, IQAir. The 5th Annual World Air Quality Report released by IQAir, states that roughly …

Most global cities have declining air quality: report
2 years, 7 months ago

Most global cities have declining air quality: report

Live Mint  

The world's biggest and most populous cities face some of the most hazardous health threats due to their declining air quality, according to a new report by the US-based research organization Health Effects Institute. Released on Wednesday, the Air Quality and Health in Cities report, as part of the State of Global Air Initiative, says that Exposure to unclean air …

Unhealthy air pollution impacts 99 per cent of people on Earth
2 years, 11 months ago

Unhealthy air pollution impacts 99 per cent of people on Earth

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Nearly every person on Earth is breathing harmful air pollution, the World Health Organisation warned …

WHO says 99% of world’s population breathes poor-quality air
2 years, 11 months ago

WHO says 99% of world’s population breathes poor-quality air

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The U.N. health agency says nearly everybody in the world breathes air that doesn’t meet its standards for air quality, calling for more action to reduce fossil-fuel use, which generates pollutants that cause respiratory and blood-flow problems and lead to millions of preventable deaths each year. “After surviving a pandemic, it is unacceptable to still have 7 million …

WHO says 99% of world's population breathes poor-quality air
2 years, 11 months ago

WHO says 99% of world's population breathes poor-quality air

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The U.N. health agency says …

United Nations’ health agency WHO says 99% of world’s population breathes poor-quality air
2 years, 11 months ago

United Nations’ health agency WHO says 99% of world’s population breathes poor-quality air

The Hindu  

The U. N. health agency says nearly everybody in the world breathes air that doesn’t meet its standards for air quality, calling for more action to reduce use of fossil-fuel, which generates pollutants that cause respiratory- and blood-flow problems and lead to millions of preventable deaths each year. “After surviving a pandemic, it is unacceptable to still have seven million …

Every single country is failing the WHO’s new air quality standards
3 years ago

Every single country is failing the WHO’s new air quality standards

Salon  

No country in the world met the new air quality standards established in September by the World Health Organization, or WHO, according to a new survey that analyzed 117 countries' air last year. It's the first global air quality report based on the WHO's new pollution guidelines, which suggest that average annual readings of hazardous fine particulate matter, or PM …

Delhi remains most polluted capital in the world, no Indian city met WHO air quality standard: Report
3 years ago

Delhi remains most polluted capital in the world, no Indian city met WHO air quality standard: Report

India TV News  

Delhi was found to be the most polluted capital in the world for the fourth consecutive year in 2021 and 35 of the 50 cities with the worst air quality were in India, according to a new report. In 2021, none of the cities in India met the prescribed World Health Organization air quality standards of 5 micrograms per cubic …

WHO tightens global air quality norms
3 years, 6 months ago

WHO tightens global air quality norms

The Hindu  

The World Health Organisation in its first-ever update since 2005 has tightened global air pollution standards in a recognition of the emerging science in the last decade that the impact of air pollution on health is much more serious than earlier envisaged. “This will soon become part of policy discussions — much like climate targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions …

UN health agency sets higher, tougher bar for air quality
3 years, 6 months ago

UN health agency sets higher, tougher bar for air quality

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The harmful health effects of air pollution kick in at lower levels than previously thought, the World Health Organization said Wednesday as it set a new standard for policymakers and the public in the first update of its air quality guidelines in 15 years. Almost everyone around the world is exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution.” Air …

India’s air quality data for comparing annual pollution is patchy
4 years, 5 months ago

India’s air quality data for comparing annual pollution is patchy

The Hindu  

The base data available for monitoring trends in air pollution from 2016-2019 is irregular in most of the States in which the 102 cities that have been targeted for improving air quality are situated. Ideally, all of the cities ought to have 104 readings, from every monitor, every year, but this was rarely the case, and this data discrepancy would …

India lacks transparency in sharing air quality data, says report
4 years, 8 months ago

India lacks transparency in sharing air quality data, says report

Live Mint  

New Delhi: India is one of the countries that do not share air pollution data in a fully open and transparent manner despite air pollution being called “the greatest environmental risk to health” by the World Health Organization, stated a report released on Thursday by OpenAQ, Washington DC-based international NGO. The report highlighted that globally outdoor air pollution leads to …

Half the world lacks access to air pollution data to tackle public health threat
4 years, 8 months ago

Half the world lacks access to air pollution data to tackle public health threat

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Half the world lacks access to information on air pollution, creating a vacuum of government …

India has 21 of the world’s 30 cities with the worst air pollution
5 years, 1 month ago

India has 21 of the world’s 30 cities with the worst air pollution

CNN  

CNN — India has once again topped an annual list of cities with the worst air quality in the world, according to a new report, whileChinese cities have continued to show improvements from the previous year. Twenty-one of the world’s 30 cities with the worst air pollution are in India, according to data compiled in IQAir AirVisual’s 2019 World Air …

Over 70 percent of air quality monitoring stations are not collecting data: CSE report
5 years, 1 month ago

Over 70 percent of air quality monitoring stations are not collecting data: CSE report

Firstpost  

122 non-attainment cities have been asked to reduce particulate pollution by 20-30 percent by 2024 from 2017 levels. More than 70 percent of the air quality monitoring stations in the country are not meeting the requirement of collecting data of at least 104 days a year, a new report has said. But CSE’s assessment of the latest available manual data …

Delhi has world's most polluted air, 15 of 20 most toxic cities in India: Greenpeace
6 years ago

Delhi has world's most polluted air, 15 of 20 most toxic cities in India: Greenpeace

Firstpost  

Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bhiwadi & Noida come in after Gurugram in the top 6, with Delhi in the 11th spot. Accompanying the report is an extended display of all the cities on the most-polluted list and their relative air qualities across different regions and sub-regions in 2018. “The real-time status of all included locations, together with many more, can also be …

22 of the top 30 most polluted cities in the world are in India
6 years ago

22 of the top 30 most polluted cities in the world are in India

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The vast majority of the …

Government needs better understanding of health[1]- Chinadaily.com.cn
8 years, 2 months ago

Government needs better understanding of health[1]- Chinadaily.com.cn

China Daily  

PM 2.5 density stands at 106 at the Qianmen area in Beijing on Thursday afternoon. Links found between air pollution and heart, respiratory and kidney problems As China wages a long-term war against air pollution, the government is being urged to seriously study how air pollution, and smog in particular, impacts human health over the long term and deliver targeted …

Government needs better understanding of health[1]- Chinadaily.com.cn
8 years, 2 months ago

Government needs better understanding of health[1]- Chinadaily.com.cn

China Daily  

PM 2.5 density stands at 106 at the Qianmen area in Beijing on Thursday afternoon. Links found between air pollution and heart, respiratory and kidney problems As China wages a long-term war against air pollution, the government is being urged to seriously study how air pollution, and smog in particular, impacts human health over the long term and deliver targeted …

Stronger policies needed to fight air pollution[1]- Chinadaily.com.cn
8 years, 4 months ago

Stronger policies needed to fight air pollution[1]- Chinadaily.com.cn

China Daily  

YIN ZHENGYI/CHINA DAILY While global leaders incessantly pontificate about emission-reduction targets, pollution-related respiratory complications continue to kill millions of people, many economically vulnerable and politically underrepresented. WHO says a reduction in PM10 from 70 micrograms per cubic meter to 20 micrograms could reduce pollution-related deaths by 15 percent. The sources of household air pollution, which accounts for a majority of …

90 pc of world population breathing bad air, causing one in nine deaths globally: WHO
8 years, 6 months ago

90 pc of world population breathing bad air, causing one in nine deaths globally: WHO

India TV News  

Over 90 per cent of the world’s population is breathing poor quality air, an analysis by the World Health Organisation has revealed, with air-pollution responsible for over 11 per cent of deaths globally. Poorer countries have much dirtier air than the developed world, according to the report, but pollution “affects practically all countries in the world and all parts of …

Over 90% of world breathing poor quality air, says ‘extremely concerned’ WHO
8 years, 6 months ago

Over 90% of world breathing poor quality air, says ‘extremely concerned’ WHO

Hindustan Times  

Nine out of 10 people globally are breathing poor quality air, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, calling for dramatic action against pollution that is blamed for more than six million deaths a year. New data in a report on air quality from the UN’s global health body “is enough to make all of us extremely concerned,” Maria Neira, the …

Most of the world breathes polluted air, WHO says
8 years, 6 months ago

Most of the world breathes polluted air, WHO says

CNN  

Story highlights 92% of the world breathes polluted air, says the World Health Organization More than 2 million premature deaths each year can be linked to air quality CNN — Almost everyone on Earth now breathes polluted air, according to an air quality map released Tuesday by the World Health Organization. The interactive map, based on global air pollution data, …

World’s most polluted city by air is in … Nigeria
8 years, 9 months ago

World’s most polluted city by air is in … Nigeria

CNN  

Story highlights Onitsha has the worst PM10 levels in the world, according to a new report Four of the worst cities in the world for this were located in Nigeria -- Africa's largest economy The WHO urges all cities to start monitoring their pollution levels CNN — The word “Africa” often evokes romantic images of elephants crossing the Kalahari, thundering …

Reduce air pollution to protect people's health
9 years, 2 months ago

Reduce air pollution to protect people's health

China Daily  

Visitors walk at the Tian'anmen Square amid severe smog in Beijing on Dec 15. Seemingly better air quality statistics are cold comfort for Chinese people who have a huge stake in terms of their health in the country's ongoing campaign against air pollution, which could last for years. It is counterintuitive to believe that Beijing's air quality improved in 2015 …

Discover Related