According to data, Pakistan remained one of the three smoggiest countries in the world in 2023, with particulate matter levels around 15 times higher than those advised by the World Health Organization. Bangladesh and India replaced Chad and Iran.
In Bangladesh and Pakistan, the average concentrations of PM2.5, which are tiny airborne particles that cause lung harm, were found to be 79.9 and 73.7 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively, in 2023. The WHO advises against taking more than five micrograms.
Christi Chester Schroeder, air quality scientific manager at IQAir, a Swiss air-monitoring organization, explained that “you have this streak of PM2.5 concentrations that just spike because the pollution has nowhere to go.” This is due to the climate and topography of South Asia.
“In addition, there are elements like industrial processes, farming methods, and population density,” she added. “Unfortunately, it really does look like it will get worse before it gets better.”
Bangladesh and India have been ranked fifth and eighth in air quality in 2022, respectively. Air pollution is responsible for 20% of premature deaths in Bangladesh and costs 4%–5% of the country’s GDP. India’s pollution increased last year, with PM2.5 levels 11 times higher than the WHO standard. New Delhi was the worst-performing capital city. China also saw a 6.3% rise in PM2.5 levels. Only Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, and New Zealand met WHO standards in 2023. The IQAir report, based on data from over 30,000 monitoring stations in 134 countries, found that 39% of countries have no public air quality monitoring.
(Reuters)
