The recently published 2024 IQAir World air quality report has revealed some alarming trends of air pollution levels worldwide.
In its 7th annual report, Swiss technology company IQAir significantly expanded the amount of monitoring stations from its previous year’s report.
From 30,000 air quality monitoring stations in 2023, for this year’s report data was analysed from more than 40,000 air quality monitoring stations across 8,954 locations in 138 countries, territories and regions.
This increase is attributed to the low-cost air quality monitors used by citizen scientists, researchers, community advocates and local organisations. These monitors have helped to provide a more accurate picture of air pollution levels worldwide.
Of the 138 countries analysed, the report found that Chad, Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India had the most polluted air.
To meet World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, fine airborne particulate matter (PM2.5) – including dust, soot, dirt and smoke that is less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter – should not exceed 5 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3).
Chad, being the most polluted country, had an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 91.8 µg/m3, which is 18 times higher than the WHO PM2.5 annual guideline.
India had six of the nine most polluted cities, with the industrial town of Byrnihat in north-eastern India being the worst with an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 128.2 µg/m3.
In fact, the report found that only 17% of global cities met the guideline of 5 µg/m3 and only seven countries met the guideline: Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Estonia, Grenada, Iceland and New Zealand. The rest – 126 out of 138 countries and regions – exceeded it.
However, the real amount of air pollution might be far greater as many parts of the world lack the monitoring needed for more accurate data. In Africa, for example, there is only one monitoring station for every 3.7 million people.
The aim of the report is to underscore how this urgent, data-driven approach is crucial in driving policy changes and in collective efforts to reduce pollution for future generations.
Frank Hammes, global CEO of IQAir, said: “Air quality data saves lives. It creates much needed awareness, informs policy decisions, guides public health interventions and empowers communities to take action to reduce air pollution and protect future generations.”
Aidan Farrow, senior air quality scientist at Greenpeace, said: “The World air quality report, which compiles measurements of air pollution from around the globe, should be a rallying call for urgent and concerted international efforts to cut pollutant emissions.”
Earlier in March, the European Commission and the European Environment Agency published two pollution-related reports, which look at the progress the EU is making towards 2030 zero-pollution targets.