IQ Air’s Global air pollution Report

IQ Air’s Global air pollution Report

Part of: GS Prelims and  GS – III –  Environment; Pollution

In news

• A report on Global air pollution was released from IQ Air. 
• It is a Swiss air quality technology company specialising in protection against airborne pollutants, and developing air quality monitoring and air cleaning products.

Key takeaways 

• Delhi remained the most polluted capital city in the world. 
• India, on the whole, had improved its average annual PM2.5 (particulate matter) levels in 2020 than in 2019. 
• India is the third most polluted country in 2020. 
• Bangladesh and Pakistan have worse average PM2.5 levels than India.
• China ranked 11th in the latest report, a deterioration from the 14th in the previous edition of the report.
• Amongst cities, Hotan in China was the most polluted, followed by Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.
• Of the 15 most polluted cities, 13 were in India.
• The pollution levels are weighted averages, meaning that the population of a country influences the pollution values reported.

84% of all monitored countries observed air quality improvements. 

• However, of the 106 monitored countries, only 24 met the WHO’s annual guidelines for PM 2.5.