By Abdullahi Lukman
A new report has revealed that nearly every country in the world has air pollution levels exceeding what health experts consider safe.
According to an analysis by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, only seven countries met the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines for PM2.5—tiny toxic particles linked to severe health risks—over the past year.
Among the nations that maintained PM2.5 levels at or below WHO’s recommended 5µg per cubic meter were Australia, New Zealand, Estonia, Iceland, and several small island states.
In contrast, the most polluted countries included Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and India, where PM2.5 levels reached up to 18 times the WHO guideline, with Chad recording the highest concentrations.
PM2.5 pollution poses significant health risks, as the fine particles can enter the bloodstream and damage organs.
Medical experts emphasize that no level of exposure is truly safe but estimate that millions of lives could be saved annually by reducing air pollution.
Globally, air pollution ranks as the second-biggest risk factor for premature death, following high blood pressure.
Despite the alarming figures, the report noted some progress.
Related Posts
The percentage of cities meeting PM2.5 standards rose from 9 percent in 2023 to 17 percent in 2024.
India, home to six of the world’s ten most polluted cities, recorded a 7 percent drop in PM2.5 levels, while China continued its long-term trend of improving air quality.
Notably, Beijing’s air quality is now comparable to Sarajevo, which remained Europe’s most polluted city for a second consecutive year.
Air pollution disparities persist, even within relatively clean regions.
Eastern European and non-EU Balkan countries experience significantly worse air quality than their Western European counterparts.
Environmental epidemiologists stress the need for government policies to combat air pollution, such as investing in renewable energy, expanding public transport, and restricting agricultural burning.
The report’s rankings were based on real-time ground-level air pollution data collected over a calendar year.
While one-third of the monitoring stations were operated by governments, the majority were run by non-profits, academic institutions, and private citizens.
However, the report acknowledged data gaps, particularly in Africa and West Asia, where limited monitoring infrastructure hampers accurate assessments and policy responses.
Ultimately, experts warn that nearly everyone on the planet is exposed to unsafe air, with vast differences in pollution levels between regions. “What brings it home is that there are such large disparities in exposure,” said Roel Vermeulen, an environmental epidemiologist at Utrecht University.
