A new report paints a troubling picture of global air quality: the vast majority of people around the world are breathing unhealthy air, with only 17% of cities meeting recommended pollution guidelines.
The annual analysis, conducted by Switzerland-based air monitoring group IQAir, pulled data from over 40,000 monitoring stations in 138 countries.
The findings place countries like Chad, Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India among the worst-affected.
India, in particular, stood out with six of the nine most polluted cities, and the industrial town of Byrnihat in northeastern India ranked as the most polluted globally.
This was reported by Euronews.
Missing Data May Mean the Problem Is Worse
While the numbers are alarming, experts warn the reality could be even more severe. Many parts of the world, especially in Africa, lack the infrastructure to monitor air pollution. On average, there is just one air quality station per 3.7 million people across the continent.
Efforts to improve this are underway.
This year alone, IQAir added data from nearly 9,000 new locations thanks to expanded monitoring efforts.
But there was also a setback—the U.S. State Department announced it will no longer share air quality data from its embassies and consulates, limiting access to reliable information in areas where independent monitoring is sparse.
Breathing the Air Is Risky—And Deadly
The health risks from prolonged exposure to polluted air are extensive and well-documented.
From respiratory illnesses and cancer to cognitive conditions like Alzheimer’s, the impact is widespread and often invisible.
“If you have bad water, you can tell people to wait. But with air, you can’t ask people to stop breathing, even for a second,” said Fatimah Ahamad, chief scientist at Malaysia’s Sunway Centre for Planetary Health.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 7 million people die every year due to air pollution. In a previous assessment, the WHO concluded that 99% of the global population lives in areas that don’t meet its air quality standards.
Some Progress, But Not Enough
While the global picture is grim, a few cities have shown what's possible with the right policies. Beijing, Seoul, and Rybnik (Poland) have made significant progress by enforcing tougher regulations on vehicle and industrial emissions, promoting clean energy, and investing in public transport.
There have also been regional efforts to tackle specific challenges. In Southeast Asia, 10 countries have signed onto the ASEAN transboundary haze agreement, which targets pollution from large forest fires. While the pact’s effectiveness remains limited, it's a step toward regional cooperation.
Experts say the fight against air pollution goes hand in hand with the climate crisis. Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas not only pollutes the air but also drives global warming.
“Air pollution and climate change are two sides of the same coin,” said Shweta Narayan of the Global Climate and Health Alliance.
