Severe Smog in India: 6 of the World’s 9 Most Polluted Cities Are in India
PARIS (AFP, March 11) — Despite some improvements in 2024, many Indian cities continue to dominate the list of the world's most polluted urban areas, according to a new report released today. On a national level, Chad ranks as the most polluted country overall.
The report by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir identifies Byrnihat, an industrial town located on the border of Meghalaya and Assam, as the most polluted metropolitan area in the world in 2024.
New Delhi remains the most polluted capital city, followed by N'Djamena, the capital of Chad; Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh; Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
Chad had the highest national average for PM2.5 (fine particulate matter), with levels 18 times above the World Health Organization (WHO)'s recommended safety limit.
Following Chad on the list of most polluted countries are Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and India, which ranks fifth. Notably, 6 of the 9 most polluted cities in the world are located in India.
Byrnihat recorded an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 128.2 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024—over 25 times the WHO’s recommended level of 5 micrograms.
The report, which was conducted with support from Greenpeace, states that the national average PM2.5 concentration in India was 50.6 micrograms per cubic meter—10 times higher than the WHO safe limit.
While this reflects a 7% improvement compared to 2023, Indian cities continue to suffer from dangerously high levels of fine particulate matter, mainly caused by vehicle emissions, agricultural burning, waste incineration, and industrial pollutants.
The report also highlights that Oceania remains the cleanest region globally, with 57% of its cities meeting the WHO’s annual PM2.5 air quality guideline.
(Translated by Shih-Yun Cheng / Edited by Ssu-Chi Yen)
News Resource: Severe Smog in India: 6 of the World’s 9 Most Polluted Cities Are in India
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