Just seven nations comply with WHO air quality standards as pollution issues escalate.
Chad and Bangladesh Are at the Forefront of the World's Most Polluted Countries; Gaps in Data Affect Global Air Quality Surveillance.
Data from Swiss air quality company IQAir indicated that in 2024, only seven countries conformed to the air quality standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The countries that met these standards included Australia, New Zealand, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Estonia, and Iceland, while others like Chad and Bangladesh suffered from severe pollution, with smog levels exceeding WHO guidelines by more than 15 times.
Chad ranked as the most polluted country, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 91.8 micrograms per cubic meter, significantly higher than the WHO's recommended level of 5 micrograms. India, sitting in fifth place, showed some minor improvements but still had 12 of the top 20 most polluted cities worldwide. The discontinuation of the U.S. air quality monitoring program has raised additional concerns, particularly for developing nations that relied on U.S. embassy sensors for air quality data.
Additionally, climate change is intensifying pollution, with extreme weather events such as wildfires contributing to smog formation. The loss of dependable pollution data in more than 30 countries, resulting from the shutdown of the U.S. program, represents a considerable hurdle in global initiatives to tackle air pollution.
Chad ranked as the most polluted country, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 91.8 micrograms per cubic meter, significantly higher than the WHO's recommended level of 5 micrograms. India, sitting in fifth place, showed some minor improvements but still had 12 of the top 20 most polluted cities worldwide. The discontinuation of the U.S. air quality monitoring program has raised additional concerns, particularly for developing nations that relied on U.S. embassy sensors for air quality data.
Additionally, climate change is intensifying pollution, with extreme weather events such as wildfires contributing to smog formation. The loss of dependable pollution data in more than 30 countries, resulting from the shutdown of the U.S. program, represents a considerable hurdle in global initiatives to tackle air pollution.
