A recent study by Swiss air quality monitoring agency IQAir has revealed that 19 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities in 2024 are located in Asia.
According to the report, India has 13, Pakistan has 4, while China and Kazakhstan each have one city on the list of the most polluted cities in the world.
The study also identified N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, as the only non-Asian city among the 20 most polluted cities globally. Chad was also ranked as the most air-polluted country in the world.
According to the study, Byrnihat, an industrial city in India, was found to be the world’s most polluted city, where PM2.5 levels exceeded the WHO’s recommended limit by more than 25 times.
New Delhi has been ranked as the world’s most polluted capital for the sixth year in a row, with PM2.5 concentration reaching 91.8 micrograms per cubic meter.
Despite having the most polluted cities, India’s overall ranking among the most polluted countries improved, moving from third to fifth place.
The report ranked Chad as the world’s most polluted country, followed by Bangladesh in second place and Pakistan in third.
The report highlighted that air pollution poses a severe health risk, reducing an individual’s average lifespan by up to 2.5 years.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the annual average PM2.5 concentration should be no more than 5 micrograms per cubic meter. However, the levels recorded in the most polluted cities were significantly higher than this standard.
The study warned that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can increase the risk of chronic respiratory diseases, kidney disorders, stroke, infertility, cancer, and heart attacks.
