Top most highly polluted cities in the world

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The world's most polluted cities are concentrated in South Asia, particularly in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, followed by China. These cities face extremely high levels of PM2.5 particulate pollution, often exceeding safe limits defined by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Key Insights:

  1. India Dominates Pollution Rankings: Among the top 100 polluted cities globally, 39 are in India. Key cities like Delhi, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, and Noida frequently experience PM2.5 levels far beyond acceptable limits. Delhi, for instance, often records an Air Quality Index (AQI) above 500 during winters.

  2. Neighboring Countries: Pakistan and Bangladesh also face severe air pollution, with Lahore (Pakistan) frequently topping the global charts for the worst air quality.

  3. China’s Progress: While China is second in the number of polluted cities (30 out of 100), its efforts to mitigate pollution, including policies on renewable energy and urban planning, have led to a significant improvement in its rankings over the years.

  4. Global Problem: Beyond South Asia and China, other cities with concerning pollution levels include Dakar (Senegal), Kabul (Afghanistan), and Jakarta (Indonesia). Developed cities like Denver (USA) and Warsaw (Poland) also face localized pollution issues, often linked to traffic and industrial emission.

Primary Causes:

  • Burning of Biomass and Fossil Fuels: In India and Pakistan, agricultural burning and reliance on coal-based energy are major contributors.
  • Traffic Congestion: Many cities face severe vehicular pollution due to outdated emissions controls.
  • Industrial Activities: Factories and brick kilns are significant pollution sources in South Asia.

Recommendations for Improvement:

  1. Policy Interventions: Stricter air quality standards, incentives for clean energy, and regulation of industrial emissions.
  2. Urban Planning: Improving public transportation and implementing vehicle electrification to reduce traffic-related emissions.
  3. International Collaboration: Sharing technologies for pollution monitoring and control.

This persistent issue highlights the need for a global and local response to improve air quality and public health. For detailed air quality statistics, you can refer to platforms like IQAir.

Top 10 polluted Countries

Top 10 most polluted countries in the world for 2023, based on annual PM2.5 levels (measured in micrograms per cubic meter), are:

  1. Bangladesh - 79.9 µg/m³
  2. Pakistan - 73.7 µg/m³
  3. India - 54.4 µg/m³
  4. Tajikistan - 49.0 µg/m³
  5. Burkina Faso - 46.6 µg/m³
  6. Iraq - 44.7 µg/m³
  7. Nepal - 40.8 µg/m³
  8. Mongolia - 39.9 µg/m³
  9. Cameroon - 38.0 µg/m³
  10. Uzbekistan - 37.3 µg/m³

These PM2.5 levels far exceed the World Health Organization's guideline of 5 µg/m³ for safe air quality. The major contributors include industrial emissions, transportation, agricultural practices, and natural dust​.

References:
  1. Data Pandas
  2. ​IQAir | First in Air Quality
  3. ​IQAir | First in Air Quality

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