Puerto Rico is among the countries with the “healthiest” air.

Air pollution is one of the biggest concerns of environmental scientists. The new annual air quality report – prepared by Swiss technology company IQAir – analyzed databases from more than 134 countries, territories and regions to compile a list of… What are the areas most affected by environmental pollution?

The results have worried specialists ever since Only 9% of the more than 7,800 cities considered meet the WHO standard (World Health Organization), which states that current average levels of fine particulate matter (or PM2.5) should not exceed 5 micrograms per cubic meter.

According to the results, 99 out of 100 cities have the worst air pollution Of the world located in Asia83 of those areas are located in India.

According to the report, all of them exceeded the World Health Organization's air quality guidelines by more than 100%.

“Every aspect of our lives is affected by air pollution,” explained Frank Hames, CEO of IQAir Global.

“Typically, in some of the more polluted countries, probably It eliminates between three and six years of people's lives. “Before that, there will be many years of suffering that could be completely prevented if the air quality was better,” he added.

Unfortunately, only 10 countries have “healthy” air quality: Finland, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and French Polynesia.. Likewise, WHO PM2.5 standards are met in only seven regions: Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand.

The study analyzed data from more than 30,000 monitoring stations in 7,812 locations in 134 countries.

The climate crisis is playing a fundamental role in declining air quality around the world, putting the health of billions of people around the world at risk. By inhaling a larger amount of PM2.5, these particles enter the lung tissue and thus into the bloodstream. Because they come from sources such as fossil fuels, storm surge, and wildfire ash, these microorganisms are directly linked to heart and respiratory disease.

They from IQAir stressed that it was “unlikely” that there would be a significant improvement in pollution levels in the area “without significant changes in relation to energy infrastructure and agricultural practices”.

“What is also concerning in many parts of the world is that the things that cause outdoor air pollution are also sometimes the things that cause indoor air pollution,” they added.

The data is alarming since air pollution is caused by fossil fuels It kills approximately 5.1 million people worldwide every yearIn addition to the additional health problems it causes.

According to the World Health Organization, 6.7 million people die annually due to the combined effects of ambient and household air pollution. The main generators of air pollution are soil, ash, smoke and aerosols.

The most polluted cities in the world

According to the report, Asia was the worst-performing continent in the world, as it is home to four of the most polluted countries: Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Tajikistan.

In turn, Begusarai – a city of half a million people in the northern Indian state of Bihar – was the most polluted city in the world in 2023, with average annual PM2.5 concentration about 120 times higher than the values ​​recommended by the World Health Organization. . .

They are followed in order by Guwahati, Delhi and Mulanpur, all located in the same country. For this reason, South Asia receives special attention from specialists, as 29 out of the 30 most polluted cities are located in India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh.

Thus, the ranking of the worst countries in terms of air pollution levels is as follows:

Bangladesh: Environmental pollution values ​​are 15 times higher than recommended by the World Health Organization.

Pakistan: Pollution 14 times higher than recommended.

India (which also has 83 of the most polluted cities): More than 10 times WHO annual guidelines.

Tajikistan: Its levels are 9 times higher than those set by the international organization.

Burkina Faso: More than 9 times higher than WHO annual PM2.5 guidelines