Global Air Pollution Crisis: Key Findings from the 2024 World Air Quality Report
The 2024 World Air Quality report by IQAir highlights Chad and Bangladesh as the most polluted countries, with Delhi as the most polluted capital. Only seven nations comply with WHO air quality guidelines. The report emphasizes a lack of comprehensive monitoring in many regions, particularly in Africa and Asia, and calls for international cooperation to address trans-boundary pollution challenges.
According to the 2024 World Air Quality report by Swiss-based IQAir, Chad and Bangladesh are identified as the most polluted countries. Delhi, India, is recorded as the most polluted capital city globally. This report highlights that only seven countries, including Australia and New Zealand, met the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality standards, revealing that air pollution remains a significant global concern, especially in Africa and Asia, where monitoring is often inadequate.
The report notes that 74 of the 100 most polluted cities are in India, which shows a slight improvement from last year. Despite this, India’s pollution levels still surpassed safety guidelines, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 50.6 micrograms per cubic meter. Globally, only 17% of nearly 9,000 surveyed cities met WHO air quality standards, indicating the extent of the pollution crisis.
Notably, the reduction of resources for pollution monitoring in the U.S., particularly under the previous administration, has severely affected efforts to track air quality in developing countries. Dr. Christi Chester Schroeder from IQAir emphasized the detrimental impact of the closure of air monitoring stations at U.S. embassies, which were crucial to informing public health and policy actions in host countries.
The report explains that while India has a wide monitoring system that includes rural areas, countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh suffer from limited data collection, resulting in higher national averages for pollution. The situation is dire in South Asia, where pollution levels in major capitals like Dhaka and Islamabad remain alarmingly high. Experts call for regional cooperation to address trans-border pollution issues effectively.
Cities within India, particularly those in northern states, contribute heavily to the nation’s pollution levels due to geographic and meteorological conditions conducive to smog. Dr. SN Tripathi from IIT Kanpur advocates for a coordinated approach among South Asian nations to mitigate pollution by understanding regional pollution dynamics.
The report indicates that Beijing and other major Chinese cities saw decreased pollution levels, underlining effective policies in regions such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. Conversely, Indonesia remains the most polluted country in Southeast Asia despite a slight decrease in pollution levels due to a reliance on coal to meet energy demands.
In Vietnam, air pollution has significantly affected the economy, costing about 4% of the GDP. The government is taking steps to raise public awareness and promote sustainable practices to mitigate air pollution.
Lastly, the cleanest air was observed in Honoka’a, Hawaii, with an average of just one microgram of PM2.5. This highlights the vast differences in air quality across different regions, reaffirming the urgent need for global action to address pollution effectively.
In conclusion, the 2024 World Air Quality report presents alarming statistics on global air pollution, particularly in countries like Chad and Bangladesh. Despite some improvements in India, the pervasive issue remains unaddressed in many parts of the world. The need for enhanced monitoring and regional cooperation is critical to effectively combatting air pollution and ensuring the health and safety of populations at risk.
Original Source: healthpolicy-watch.news
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