IQAir, a Switzerland-based technology company, on March 11 released its annual World Air Quality Report.
Key Findings from the 2024 World Air Quality Report:
- India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Chad are the five most polluted countries in 2024.
- India’s PM2.5 level: 50.6 µg/m³, over 10 times higher than WHO’s guideline (5.0 µg/m³).
- 7% improvement: India’s PM2.5 levels declined from 54.4 µg/m³ in 2023 to 50.6 µg/m³ in 2024.
- Only 17% of global cities meet WHO’s air pollution guidelines.
India’s Most Polluted Cities:
- Byrnihat (Assam): Most polluted metropolitan area – 128.2 µg/m³ PM2.5.
- New Delhi: Most polluted capital city – 91.8 µg/m³ PM2.5.
- Other highly polluted cities in India: Faridabad (Haryana) & Loni (Uttar Pradesh).
Global Context:
- India had 4 of the world’s 10 most polluted cities.
- Other top polluted cities: Karaganda (Kazakhstan), Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Sialkot (Pakistan), and N’Djamena (Chad).
- Report analyzed air quality from 8,954 cities across 138 countries, using data from 40,000+ monitoring stations.
(Source: Business Line)
