According to the latest report, 99 of the top 100 cities with the most severe air pollution in the world in 2023 are in Asia. The climate crisis plays a major role in creating poor air quality, which not only affects Asia but threatens the health of billions of people around the world.
Most of the world’s top 100 cities with the worst air pollution are located here, according to a report by Swiss air quality tracker IQAir, CNN reported.IndiaA total of 83, air pollution conditions are ten times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines.
Data released by IQAir on the 19th shows that Bangladesh, Pakistan and India are the three countries with the worst air pollution in 2023. The concentration of suspended particulate matter (PM) in Pakistan is more than approx.WhoThe recommended level is 15 times.
In 2023, the average concentration of fine suspended particles (PM2.5) in Bangladesh reached 79.9 micrograms per cubic meter, and in Pakistan it reached 73.7 micrograms per cubic meter. WHO recommends that it should not exceed 5 micrograms.
Christy Chester Schroeder, head of air quality science at IQAir, said: “Due to the climate conditions and geography (in South Asia), PM2.5 concentrations are increasing…”
Schroeder also said: “In addition, there are factors such as agricultural activity, industry and population density. Unfortunately, the situation looks like it will get worse before it gets better.”
Firoz Khan, an air pollution expert at North South University in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, reported that about 20% of premature deaths in Bangladesh can be attributed to air pollution, and related medical expenses are a significant loss of the country’s gross domestic product (4 ) are responsible for. up to 5% of GDP).
India’s pollution problem worsened last year, with PM2.5 levels nearly 11 times higher than WHO standards. New Delhi, India, is the capital city with the worst air quality, with the average concentration of PM2.5 reaching 92.7 micrograms per cubic metre.
After five consecutive years of decline, China’s PM2.5 also increased by 6.3% last year to 32.5 micrograms per cubic meter.
only in 2023AustraliaEstonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand meet WHO standards.
The IQAir report is based on data from more than 30,000 monitoring stations in 134 countries and territories.
Chad was the world’s most polluted country in 2022, but was dropped from the 2023 list due to data issues. Iran and Sudan were also removed from the 2023 list.
Christa Hasenkopf, director of the Air Quality of Life Index at the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, said 39% of countries do not monitor public air quality.
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