WORLD
AIR QUALITY INDEX - REPORTS AND INDICES
News:
Delhi world's most
polluted capital city again: Report
What's
in the news?
●
India has been identified as the world’s
third most polluted country, as per the World
Air Quality Report 2023 by Swiss organisation IQAir.
Key
Highlights of the World Air Quality Report 2023
India's
Air Quality Ranking:
●
Ranked as the world's third most polluted country, with an average annual PM2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter.
●
Bangladesh
and Pakistan surpassed India in pollution levels,
becoming the most and second most polluted countries, respectively.
○
9 out of the top 10 most polluted cities
in the world are from India.
●
India's air quality deteriorated compared
to the previous year, with Delhi
emerging as the world's most polluted capital city for the fourth consecutive
time.
○
BEGUSARAI
in Bihar is labelled as the world's most polluted metropolitan
area, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 118.9 micrograms per cubic meter.
Health
Impacts and WHO Guidelines:
●
Around 136 million Indians (96% of the
Indian population) face PM2.5 concentrations (seven times) higher than the
World Health Organization's recommended levels of 5 micrograms per cubic meter.
●
Over 66%
of Indian cities have reported annual averages higher than 35 micrograms per
cubic metre (µg/m3).
●
PM2.5 pollution, primarily from burning
fossil fuels, is linked to increased rates of heart attack, stroke, and
oxidative stress, with severe health implications.
Global
Air Quality:
●
Seven countries that met the WHO annual
PM2.5 guideline (annual average of 5 µg/m3 or less) included Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada,
Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand.
●
The report states that Africa continues to
be the most under represented continent, with a third of its population lacking
access to air quality data.
●
Some countries, including China and Chile, reported decreases in
PM2.5 pollution levels, indicating progress in combating air pollution.
●
Pollution does not stay confined to its
source, with prevailing winds distributing it across regions, emphasising the
need for international cooperation in addressing air quality issues.
Global
Impact of Air Pollution:
●
Air pollution causes approximately seven
million premature deaths worldwide annually. It contributes to approximately
one in every nine deaths worldwide.
●
PM2.5 exposure leads to health issues like
asthma, cancer, stroke and mental health
complications.
●
Exposure to elevated levels of fine
particles can impair cognitive development in children, lead to mental health
issues and complicate existing illnesses, including diabetes.
Pollutants
Covered:
●
The World Health Organization (WHO)
regularly updates its evidence-based air quality guidelines to safeguard public
health from the ongoing threat of air pollution. The most recent update
occurred in 2021, revising the guidelines that were originally published in
2005
●
The guidelines cover both particulate
matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants, including PM2.5, PM10, ozone (O3), nitrogen
dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO).