Geneva, March 11 (Alliance News): Only seven countries met the World Health Organization’s (WHO) air quality standards last year, according to data released on Tuesday, as experts warned that the fight against air pollution will become more challenging following the U.S. decision to halt its global air monitoring efforts.
Chad and Bangladesh ranked as the most polluted countries in 2024, with smog levels exceeding WHO guidelines by over 15 times, according to Swiss air quality firm IQAir.
The only nations that met WHO’s standards were Australia, New Zealand, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Estonia, and Iceland.
The discontinuation of the U.S. State Department’s global air quality monitoring program, which provided crucial data in Africa and Asia, has raised concerns. Over 17 years of pollution data were recently removed from the U.S. government’s air monitoring website.
Experts warn that this move could significantly impact air quality tracking, particularly in Africa, where alternative monitoring sources are scarce.
Chad, previously omitted from IQAir’s 2023 report due to data concerns, reclaimed its position as the most polluted nation in 2024, with PM2.5 levels averaging 91.8 micrograms per cubic meter—far above the WHO-recommended limit of 5 mg/cu m.
India, ranked fifth behind Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, saw a slight improvement but still accounted for 12 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities.
Environmental researchers highlight climate change as a growing factor in rising pollution levels, with increasing temperatures fueling more frequent and intense wildfires in South America and Southeast Asia.
Experts also criticized the U.S. decision to shut down its monitoring initiative, warning that it could severely hinder global air quality improvement efforts.
