Only seven countries met WHO air quality standards in 2024, with Chad and Bangladesh identified as the most polluted globally. The termination of U.S. air quality monitoring programs will significantly hinder pollution tracking in several nations. Experts warn that the increasing impact of climate change also exacerbates air quality concerns around the world.
According to newly released data, only seven countries adhered to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) air quality standards in 2024. Researchers have indicated that the global battle against smog will become increasingly challenging, particularly following the cessation of the United States’ monitoring initiatives. Chad and Bangladesh emerged as the most polluted nations, with air quality metrics exceeding WHO guidelines by more than 15 times as per IQAir’s report.
The seven countries meeting these stringent air quality benchmarks are Australia, New Zealand, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Estonia, and Iceland, as noted by IQAir. Unfortunately, significant data weaknesses, especially in Asia and Africa, obscure the global air quality landscape. Many developing nations previously depended on air quality data supplied by sensors on U.S. embassy and consulate buildings.
However, this program has been terminated due to budget constraints, resulting in the deletion of more than 17 years of critical air quality data from the U.S. government’s monitoring platform, airnow.gov, including vital readings from regions such as Chad. Christi Chester-Schroeder, an air quality science manager at IQAir, expressed concern that this data reduction would disproportionately impact African nations, where these sensors were often the sole sources of publicly accessible real-time air quality data.
Chad, despite being excluded from IQAir’s latest list due to data issues, continued to have the highest pollution ratings as recorded in 2022, heavily influenced by Sahara dust and unrestricted agricultural burning. The average concentration of PM2.5 in the nation reached 91.8 micrograms per cubic meter, which is significantly above the WHO’s recommended level of 5 mg/cu m, a standard only fulfilled by 17% of cities the previous year.
India ranked fifth in pollution, trailing behind Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, it still possessed twelve of the twenty most polluted cities globally, with Byrnihat topping the list at an alarming PM2.5 concentration of 128 mg/cu m. The influence of climate change has also intensified, as increased temperatures have led to more severe and prolonged forest fires in Southeast Asia and South America.
Christa Hasenkopf, who leads the Clean Air Program at the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC), highlighted that the termination of the U.S. monitoring initiative means that at least 34 countries will lose access to reliable pollution data. The State Department’s program not only improved air quality in monitored cities but also contributed to longer life expectancies and reduced hazard allowances for U.S. diplomats. Hasenkopf remarked, “(It) is a giant blow to air quality efforts worldwide.”
In conclusion, the recent data illustrates a grim reality regarding global air quality, with only a handful of countries meeting WHO standards and major challenges arising due to the withdrawal of U.S. monitoring efforts. This cessation will adversely affect air quality tracking in numerous developing nations, particularly in Africa. The findings underscore an urgent need for enhanced air quality measures and reliable data sources to combat growing pollution levels and their associated health impacts.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
