Bangladesh was the second most polluted country in 2024 with a PM2.5 level of 78 µg/m³, according to IQAir. Dhaka ranked as the third most polluted capital. Only seven countries met WHO air quality standards that year, indicating a global issue with air pollution and its health implications.
In 2024, Bangladesh was reported to be the second most polluted country globally, as per the air quality monitoring firm IQAir. The country’s average PM2.5 level was measured at 78 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³), exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines by over 15 times. The only country with worse air quality was Chad, with a PM2.5 level of 128 µg/m³, followed by Pakistan at 73.7 µg/m³.
The IQAir report also highlighted that Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, was the third most polluted capital city worldwide in 2024 with an average PM2.5 level of 78 µg/m³. New Delhi topped the list of polluted capitals at 91.6 µg/m³, with N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, following closely at 91.8 µg/m³. Kinshasa and Islamabad ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, with PM2.5 levels of 58.2 µg/m³ and 52.4 µg/m³.
The report identified that only seven countries managed to meet WHO air quality standards in 2024. Researchers warned of increasing difficulties in addressing air pollution due to the recent decision by the United States to cease its global air quality monitoring endeavors. The countries compliant with WHO standards included Australia, New Zealand, and Iceland, among others.
India experienced a slight decline in average PM2.5 levels, dropping to 50.6 µg/m³. Despite this improvement, the country still had twelve of the twenty most polluted cities globally. Byrnihat, situated at the border of Meghalaya and Assam, was reported as the most polluted city, with a PM2.5 level of 128 µg/m³.
IQAir’s analysis utilized data from over 40,000 air quality monitoring stations across 138 regions. The WHO recommends PM2.5 levels not exceeding 5 µg/m³, a standard achieved by only 17% of cities worldwide in 2024. Notably, data gaps in Asia and Africa have hindered a comprehensive global assessment of air quality.
In conclusion, the air quality report from IQAir underscores the severe air pollution crisis faced by Bangladesh and other nations. With significant deviations from WHO standards, urgent measures are essential to manage and mitigate air pollution. Moreover, the cessation of U.S. air quality monitoring poses challenges for developing countries, emphasizing the need for continued efforts to acknowledge and uphold clean air as a fundamental human right.
Original Source: asianews.network
