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2024 World Air Quality Report
Context:
The 2024 World Air Quality Report has confirmed that Delhi remains the world’s most polluted capital city, with an average PM 2.5 concentration of 91.8 μg/m³. The report highlights the alarming state of air pollution, not only in Delhi but across several Indian cities.
Delhi’s Improvement Despite High Pollution Levels
- While Delhi has seen a slight improvement, the National Capital Region (NCR) continues to experience heavy pollution.
- The report noted that India’s PM2.5 concentrations declined by 7% in 2024, with an average of 50.6 μg/m³, down from 54.4 μg/m³ in 2023.
- Despite this improvement, Delhi‘s pollution levels remain consistently high, with an annual average of 91.6 μg/m³ in 2024, nearly unchanged from 92.7 μg/m³ in 2023.
India’s Struggle with Pollution
- The report reveals that India remains a global hotspot for air pollution, with 13 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world located within its borders.
- Among these, Byrnihat, situated on the Assam-Meghalaya border, has the highest annual PM2.5 concentration, recorded at 128.2 µg/m³.
- Other major cities like Faridabad, Loni (Ghaziabad), Gurgaon, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Noida, Muzaffarnagar, and Central and South Delhi continue to rank among the world’s most polluted urban areas.
- India’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) stands at 50.6 µg/m³, which is 10 times higher than the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) annual guideline value for PM2.5 of 5 µg/m³.
- In 2023, India was the third most polluted country, but the latest data confirms that it remains in the top five.
- The report further highlights the severe health impact of this pollution, which has led to a reduction in life expectancy by an estimated 5.2 years for the Indian population.
Global Air Quality Trends
- The report, based on data from over 40,000 air quality monitoring stations across 138 countries and regions, underscores the dire state of global air quality.
- Global Cities’ Compliance: It reveals that only 17% of the world’s cities meet the WHO’s air pollution guidelines. Furthermore, a staggering 91.3% of the countries and regions monitored have PM2.5 levels that exceed the WHO’s recommended limit of 5 µg/m³ annually.
- Southeast Asia’s Declining PM2.5 Levels: PM2.5 concentrations have decreased across Southeast Asia, despite challenges like transboundary haze and the lingering effects of El Niño.
- Air Pollution in Africa: Africa faces severe data scarcity on air pollution, with only one monitoring station for every 3.7 million people.
- Pollution Levels in the United States: The most polluted major city in the United States is Los Angeles, California, followed by Ontario, California.
The Broader Perspective
- Persistent Challenge for India: Despite a slight decline in pollution levels, six of the world’s ten most polluted cities are still in India.
- Urgent Need for Action: Addressing emissions, enhancing monitoring systems, and enforcing stricter regulations are crucial.
- Global Perspective: The report highlights the interconnectedness of air pollution issues and the need for international cooperation.
