Begusarai in Bihar most polluted city in world, New Delhi the most polluted capital; Africa continues to be most underrepresented continent
India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh may have geopolitical differences, but the three countries find themselves in the same boat when it comes to dealing with geo-pollution.
In 2023, India stood as the third most polluted nation globally, recording an average population-weighted fine particulate matter (PM) 2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3), found a new global report by IQAir — a Swiss air quality technology company.
The publication, 2023: World Air Quality Report, was published on March 19, 2024. The sixth edition of the report analysed PM2.5 air quality data from 7,812 cities spanning 134 countries, regions and territories.
India’s PM 2.5 concentration value exceeds the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guideline value of 5 μg/m3 by over 10 times. Bangladesh leads the list at 79.9 μg/m3, followed by Pakistan with 73.7 μg/m3.
The fine PM is considered the most potent air pollutant, as the particles can travel with the bloodstream to reach other parts of the body and organs and trigger a range of diseases, including fatal ones.
Despite the expanding scope of IQAir’s monitoring to encompass more countries and cities over time, Africa remains significantly underrepresented, with one-third of its population lacking access to air quality data, the report found.
“In 2023, 10 out of the reporting 134 countries and regions succeeded in achieving the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline value of 5 µg/m3. With only 9 per cent of globally reporting cities achieving the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline, much more work remains to be done to combat air pollution,” said the report.
India got most pollution trophies
India may have missed out on the top spot in the country-wise pollution list, but it has secured all other possible top spots for pollution in the latest assessment.
New Delhi is the most polluted capital city in the world, with an average PM 2.5 concentration of 102.1 µg/m3, 20 times over the WHO limit and more than two and half times over the national limit of 40 µg/m3.
The report said that, overall, “the country continues to grapple with drastically poor air quality with PM2.5 concentrations exceeding the WHO annual guideline by more than 10 times,” and 9 out of the 10 most polluted cities in the world were found to be located in India.
The report released by IQAir has also identified Begusarai, in Bihar, India, as the most polluted metropolitan area globally in 2023, with a PM 2.5 value of 118.9 µg/m3, followed by Guwahati in northeast India with 105.4 µg/m3, and then New Delhi.
“India faced a worsening air quality crisis, with the annual average concentration of PM2.5 increasing slightly to 54.4 μg/m3 in 2023 compared to the previous year. This spike in pollution levels pose significant health risks to an estimated 1.36 billion people living in the country,” said the report.
“…the National Capital Region witnessed a particularly alarming surge in PM2.5 levels, rising by 10 per cent and peaking at a monthly average of 255 μg/m3 in November”, it further adds.
Wake up call
“The findings… are another wake-up call for cities in South Asia. Whether it’s the most polluted city Begusarai, a hub of fossil fuel-based industries, or the most polluted country Bangladesh that is heavily dependent on fossil fuel based energy, it shows that burning fossil fuels is one of the biggest causes of air pollution,” noted the report.
There is an urgent need to move beyond fossil fuels and the world must invest in clean energy generation and link just transition with the process, the research said. During the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, convened in Dubai in November-December 2023, nearly 200 countries reached an agreement to shift away from fossil fuels, aiming to achieve a fossil fuel-free world by 2050.
“Cities need to recognise vehicular emissions as a major contributor to worsening air quality and shift to sustainable transport on a war footing by setting a phase-out date for diesel, gas and petrol cars and introducing affordable, renewable-energy-powered public transport, along with safe pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure,” recommended the report.
The data indicates pressing environmental challenges that India faces, posing significant health risks to its vast population, said Avinash Chanchal of Greenpeace India. “Vehicle emissions continue to play a significant role in exacerbating air pollution, accounting for 40 per cent of PM2.5 emissions in the nation’s capital,” he said.
Chanchal also claimed that the country’s national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS), which is 8 times higher than the WHO laid down guidelines, is outdated. “It has been over two years since WHO revised its air quality standards, but despite repeated demands from various quarters, India has yet to update the guidelines,” he said.
Air pollution-climate change link in focus
The report also stressed the link between air pollution and climate change.
“As climate change alters weather patterns, it can exacerbate air quality issues, with extreme heat events becoming more severe and frequent and increasing wildfires. It has also intensified pollen seasons, exacerbating allergic airway diseases like allergic rhinitis and asthma, especially when combined with exposure to PM2.5 pollutants,” it explained.
Although the number of countries and regions implementing air quality monitoring has consistently risen over the past six years, substantial gaps persist in air quality monitoring networks globally. Africa, in particular, stands out as the most underrepresented continent, with one-third of its population lacking access to air quality data.
“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,” Frank Hammes, global chief executive of IQAir, said in a statement.
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