Bangladesh and Chad have been designated as the world’s most polluted countries in 2024, with air quality levels significantly exceeding WHO guidelines. The report indicated a global air quality crisis, with data gaps impacting monitoring efforts, particularly in developing nations. Climate change exacerbates pollution issues, as evidenced by rising PM2.5 levels and intensified forest fires. The termination of U.S. monitoring programs raises concerns for data access in numerous countries.
In 2024, Bangladesh and Chad were jointly identified as the most polluted countries globally, with air quality metrics exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines by more than 15 times, according to data from Swiss firm IQAir. Other nations such as India, Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo reported similarly concerning smog levels. A report stated that only seven countries achieved WHO air quality standards last year, highlighting the critical situation with global air pollution.
The selected countries that complied with WHO standards included Australia, New Zealand, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Estonia, and Iceland. However, researchers cautioned about significant data gaps, especially in Asia and Africa, as many developing nations depended on air quality monitoring sensors from U.S. embassy buildings. The U.S. State Department recently terminated this program due to budget constraints, which removed over 17 years of data from official sources concerning air quality.
Christi Chester-Schroeder, IQAir’s air quality science manager, explained the implications of losing access to real-time monitoring data for African nations. In contrast, Chad, previously excluded from the 2023 IQAir list, faced severe pollution due to Sahara dust and unregulated agricultural burning, registering alarming PM2.5 levels around 91.8 micrograms per cubic meter.
India, ranked fifth in pollution, saw its PM2.5 levels decrease slightly to 50.6 micrograms per cubic meter, yet it comprised 12 out of the top 20 most polluted cities. The highest was Byrnihat, with an average PM2.5 level of 128 micrograms per cubic meter. Climate change was highlighted as an exacerbating factor, with rising temperatures leading to severe forest fires in parts of Southeast Asia and South America.
Christa Hasenkopf, director of the Clean Air Program at the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute, emphasized that the closing of the U.S. monitoring program would hinder at least 34 countries’ access to reliable pollution data. The program, she noted, contributed significantly to improving urban air quality and life expectancy, offsetting its costs by reducing hazard allowances for diplomats.
The alarming pollution levels in Bangladesh and Chad signal a critical public health concern exacerbated by the discontinuation of essential air quality monitoring programs. As countries struggle to combat increasing pollution influenced by climate change, the loss of real-time data access presents additional challenges. Urgent international collaboration is necessary to address air quality improvement and effectively combat the growing crisis of smog worldwide.
Original Source: bdnews24.com
