All top 100 most polluted cities located in Asia
IQAir highlights the air pollution crisis, the world’s top 100 polluted cities located in Asia and 83 of them are in India
A recent report has revealed the alarming dominance of Asian cities in the world’s most polluted urban areas.
According to IQAir, a global air quality monitoring organization, Asia had the 100 cities with the world’s worst air pollution last year.
It is reported that the vast majority of these highly polluted cities, 83 in total, are situated in India.
Alarmingly, these cities exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines by more than 10 times.
‘Reduce life expectancy by 3 to 6 years’
IQAir’s analysis focused on delicate particulate matter, specifically PM2.5, known for its minuscule size and severe health implications.
The WHO recommends that average annual levels of PM2.5 should not surpass 5 micrograms per cubic meter. Only 9% of over 7,800 cities worldwide met this standard.
Frank Hammes, CEO of IQAir Global, emphasized the pervasive impact of air pollution on various aspects of life and highlighted its potential to reduce life expectancy by three to six years in the most affected regions.
When inhaled, PM2.5 penetrates deep into lung tissue and can enter the bloodstream, leading to a myriad of health problems.
Sources of this pollutant include the combustion of fossil fuels, dust storms, and wildfires.
Its adverse effects range from respiratory illnesses to cognitive impairment, particularly in children.
Begusarai, a city in northern India’s Bihar state, topped the list as the world’s most polluted city in the past year. Its average annual PM2.5 concentration of 118.9 surpassed WHO guidelines by 23 times.
Other Indian cities, such as Guwahati, Assam; Delhi; and Mullanpur, Punjab, also ranked high in IQAir’s air quality index.
Countries where avg. PM2.5 concentration exceeded WHO guidelines seven to 10 times in 2023
In 2023, Bangladesh’s average air quality exceeded the World Health Organization’s (WHO) safety guidelines by nearly 16 times, making it the country with the worst air quality globally. Pakistan and India followed closely behind, with India occupying nine of the top ten spots for the most polluted cities.
India claimed nine out of the top 10 spots for the most polluted cities globally.
Only 10 countries and territories were deemed to have “healthy” air quality, including Finland, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and French Polynesia.
Source: Newsroom
