A new report found that the world’s 100 most polluted cities in terms of particulate matter PM2.5 levels are all located in Asia. India alone accounts for 83 of these cities.
The most polluted city globally is Begusarai, India with annual average PM2.5 levels of 118.9 μg/m3, over 23 times the WHO guideline of 5 μg/m3. Other highly polluted Indian cities include Guwahati, Delhi, and Mullanpur.
Over 96% of India’s 1.3 billion population lives with air quality exceeding WHO limits by over 7 times. Central and South Asia have the highest regional air pollution.
The climate crisis is exacerbating air pollution by altering weather patterns and increasing extreme heat and wildfires. Reducing air pollution would also help mitigate climate change.
Most severely polluted countries are Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Tajikistan. South Asia has 29 of the 30 most polluted cities, located in India, Pakistan or Bangladesh.
Only a few regions like Finland, Estonia and some Pacific islands met WHO air quality standards according to the report. Air pollution levels continue rising in many Asian and African countries.
Source: CNN
