New Delhi: A new report has placed Bihar’s Begusarai at the top of the list for the world’s most polluted urban area, while Delhi has been named the capital with the worst air quality. India ranked third in air pollution among 134 countries in 2023, with an average annual PM2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter, trailing behind Bangladesh and Pakistan, as per the World Air Quality Report 2023 by IQAir, a Swiss organization.
Compared to its eighth-place ranking in 2022, India’s average PM2.5 concentration has increased slightly from 53.3 to 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter.
Begusarai has been highlighted as the most polluted city worldwide, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 118.9 micrograms per cubic meter, a significant jump from not being ranked in 2022. Delhi saw a rise in PM2.5 levels from 89.1 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022 to 92.7 in 2023, maintaining its position as the most polluted capital city globally since 2018.
The report estimates that around 1.36 billion people in India are exposed to PM2.5 levels exceeding the WHO’s recommended guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic meter annually.
Furthermore, 96% of India’s population, or 1.33 billion people, are subjected to PM2.5 concentrations over seven times higher than the WHO’s guideline. Over two-thirds of Indian cities have annual average PM2.5 levels above 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
The data for the report was compiled from over 30,000 air quality monitoring stations and sensors managed by various institutions, organizations, and individuals worldwide.
The 2022 report included data from 7,323 locations across 131 countries, which expanded to 7,812 locations in 134 countries in the 2023 report.
Air pollution, responsible for one in every nine deaths globally, is considered the most significant environmental hazard to human health, with the WHO attributing seven million premature deaths annually to air pollution.
PM2.5 pollution contributes to a range of health issues, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and can also affect mental health and cognitive development, particularly in children.