A worldwide report by IQAir has revealed that the majority of the global population is subjected to dangerous air pollution, with merely 17 percent of cities complying with air quality standards. The research assessed data from 40,000 monitoring stations across 138 nations, pinpointing Chad, Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India as the countries with the poorest air quality. India boasted six out of the nine most polluted cities, with Byrnihat at the top of the list.

Experts warn that actual air pollution levels may be even higher than indicated due to inadequate monitoring, especially in Africa, where there is just one station for every 3.7 million residents. Although new monitoring initiatives are being introduced, the availability of real-time data faced a challenge after the U.S. State Department decided to cease the public dissemination of air quality data from its embassies.

Contaminated air has been associated with respiratory illnesses, cancer, and neurological disorders. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution results in seven million deaths each year. Measures to mitigate pollution, such as more stringent regulations in Beijing and Seoul, alongside international pacts like ASEAN’s transboundary haze initiative, show potential, yet significantly more effort is required to enhance global air quality.