World's Top 10 Most Polluted Countries In 2023 Revealed: 3 Asian Countries Lead The List — No, China's Not One Of Them

In 2023, only 10 countries worldwide had air quality that met the World Health Organization’s guidelines for harmful fine-particle pollution. Most nations exceeded these guidelines, with the most severe pollution recorded in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.

What Happened: The three South Asian countries had the world’s worst fine-particle air pollution in 2023. The report, released by IQAir, revealed that the majority of nations exceeded the health guidelines for air quality, reported Bloomberg.

The countries most affected were the Middle East, Africa, and Central and South Asia. Based on population-weighted data, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Tajikistan, and Burkina Faso were the top five most polluted countries in 2023. The report also identified the countries with the least air pollution, including French Polynesia, Mauritius, and Iceland.

Capitals With the Highest Average Levels of PM 2.5 Pollution, 2023

The capital cities with the worst air quality were New Delhi, Dhaka, Ouagadougou, Dushanbe, and Baghdad. Meanwhile, the capitals with the lowest concentrations of PM2.5 were mostly in Oceania, Scandinavia, and the Caribbean.

PM is an abbreviation for particulate matter, with 2.5 denoting its size at 2.5 microns, equivalent to 1/30th of the diameter of a strand of hair. The minuscule dimensions of PM2.5 pollution contribute to its deadly nature.

According to Glory Dolphin Hammes, CEO of IQAir’s North American division, PM2.5 stands as a pervasive air pollutant responsible for more fatalities than any other pollutant. IQAir has been issuing its annual World Air Quality reports since 2017

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PM2.5 pollution, primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels, is responsible for the early deaths of over 4 million people worldwide each year. This form of pollution has been linked to increased rates of heart attack and stroke, as well as other serious health issues.

The report points out that certain cities, such as South Tangerang in Indonesia, Rocklea in Australia, and Benoni in South Africa, have high pollution levels compared to their respective regions despite their countries generally having low pollution levels. Additionally, even within the same city, air pollution levels can differ significantly, depending on factors like proximity to parks or power plants.

Why It Matters: The findings of the IQAir report are consistent with the concerning trend of air pollution in recent years. In 2023, Canada’s wildfires caused a significant decline in air quality in major U.S. cities, including Detroit, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. This resulted in the U.S. cities being among the 15 cities with the worst air quality globally.

Even before this, New York’s air quality was rated the worst in the world due to Canadian wildfires. This led to the cancellation of outdoor activities and flights in the city.

The situation was similar in Detroit, which also experienced a plunge in air quality due to the wildfires.

These incidents underscore the global impact of air pollution, with transboundary pollution being a significant concern. The findings of the IQAir report serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for international cooperation to address this critical issue.

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