India Ranks 3rd In World's Most Polluted Countries 2023 List; Delhi Most Polluted Capital City Again
In 2022, India was ranked as the eighth most polluted country with an average PM2.5 concentration of 53.3 micrograms per cubic metre.
Bihar's Begusarai emerged as the world's most polluted metropolitan area while Delhi was identified as the capital city with the poorest air quality, according to IQAir's World Air Quality Report 2023.
IQAir is a Swiss technology company that empowers organisations, individuals, and governments to improve their air quality with the help of collaboration, information, and intervention.
The company’s 6th annual World Air Quality Report highlighted the world’s most polluted countries, regions, and territories in 2023.
According to the report, India is among the top five polluted countries in the world with an average annual PM2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre, which is 10 times higher than the World Health Organisation’s PM2.5 guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic metre annually.
Delhi observed increased PM2.5 levels, going from 89.1 micrograms per cubic metre in 2022 to 92.7 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023.
Begusarai was reported to have an average PM2.5 level of 118.9 micrograms per cubic metre. The city did not even figure in the 2022 rankings.
In 2022, India was ranked as the eighth most polluted country with an average PM2.5 concentration of 53.3 micrograms per cubic metre.
IQAir’s air quality scientists evaluated 30,000 air quality monitoring stations across 7,812 locations in 134 countries, territories, and regions.
Apart from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Burkina Faso were among the top polluted countries in 2023.
While Columbus, Ohio and Beloit, Wisconsin in the US are the most polluted locations, Las Vegas, Nevada, happens to be the cleanest city.
This is the first time the IQAir report observed Canada’s presence among polluted countries.
Global CEO of IQAir, Frank Hammes stated, “A clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a universal human right. In many parts of the world, the lack of air quality data delays decisive action and perpetuates unnecessary human suffering. Air quality data saves lives. Where air quality is reported, action is taken, and air quality improves.”
The report mentioned seven countries that have met the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline and these include Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, and New Zealand.
According to IQAir, billions of people suffer due to poor air quality and approximately 7 million people die from air pollution. In the past six years, the company has observed a surge in air quality monitoring practices with reliable instruments and government collaborations.
Local, national, and international effort is urgently needed to monitor air quality in under-resourced places, manage the causes of transboundary haze, and cut our reliance on combustion as an energy source,” said Aidan Farrow, Sr. Air Quality Scientist, at Greenpeace International.
