NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — India leads the world in 13 of world’s 20 most polluted cities, a new report finds. India has 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities, with Byrnihat, Assam, being the worst, the 2024 World Air Quality Report released Tuesday by Swiss air technology firm IQAir said.
Delhi is still the world’s most polluted capital city, with India being the fifth most polluted country in 2024, down from third position in 2023. The nation experienced a 7% reduction in PM2.5 pollution, averaging 50.6 micrograms per cubic meter, against 54.4 micrograms in 2023. Even though it decreased, six of the top 10 most polluted cities globally are found in India, namely Mullanpur, Punjab, Faridabad, Loni, New Delhi, and Gurugram.
“We have the data; now we need action,” declared Soumya Swaminathan, a former chief scientist at the World Health Organization. She stressed increasing public transportation, charging fines on high-emission vehicles, and more stringent implementation of industrial emission regulations as key steps in fighting air pollution.
PM2.5 particles, measuring less than 2.5 microns, can penetrate the bloodstream and lead to respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The WHO suggests that yearly PM2.5 levels should not exceed 5 micrograms per cubic meter, a level only 17% of cities worldwide achieve.
CHAD is still the world’s most polluted nation, with PM2.5 concentrations more than 18 times the WHO recommendation. Bangladesh and Pakistan followed in second and third place, respectively. Oceania, which includes Australia and New Zealand, had the cleanest air, with 57% of cities having WHO-compliant air.
In North America, California had the poorest air quality, with Los Angeles having the worst air among large U.S. cities. Seattle, Washington, had the cleanest air. Air pollution continues to be a serious health risk, lowering India’s life expectancy by an estimated 5.2 years. IQAir’s report cited that 99% of the world’s population is exposed to concentrations above WHO air quality guidelines.
