DIGIVESTASI - Air pollution is a major environmental threat to human health, contributing to approximately one in nine global deaths. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution causes around seven million premature deaths each year. Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution is linked to various health issues, such as asthma, cancer, stroke, and lung disease. Additionally, air pollution can hinder cognitive development in children, exacerbate mental health problems, and worsen existing conditions like diabetes.

The World Air Quality Report indicates that Africa, Central Asia, and South Asia are facing increasingly poor air quality due to climate change. These regions bear the brunt of the world's worst air pollution, with annual PM2.5 concentrations reaching alarming levels. The report also reveals that four of the most polluted countries globally are in Southeast Asia.

India is among the countries with the worst pollution, ranking third in the world. In 2023-2024, India's annual average PM2.5 concentration rose to 54.4 µg/m3 from 53.3 µg/m3 in 2022. The capital, Delhi, saw a 10% increase in PM2.5 levels, peaking at 255 µg/m3 in November, primarily due to crop burning, vehicle emissions, coal combustion, and waste burning. According to a study in The Lancet, about 11.5 percent of deaths in Delhi each year are due to air pollution, the highest compared to other cities in India.

In contrast, Oceania remains the cleanest region globally, with most countries in the area meeting WHO's annual PM2.5 guidelines. However, there was a slight increase in PM2.5 concentrations in Australia and French Polynesia. Based on PM2.5 data from ground-level air quality monitoring stations, countries were ranked and given Air Quality Index (AQI) scores.

The report gathered annual average PM2.5 concentration data from 7,812 locations in 134 countries and territories, identifying concerning trends in 2023-2024. The AQI measures air quality with a range of 0-50 (good), 51-100 (moderate), 101-150 (unhealthy for sensitive groups), 151-200 (unhealthy), 201-300 (very unhealthy), and 301+ (hazardous).

Here are the 10 most polluted cities in the world:
1. Kinshasa - Democratic Republic of Congo: 169
2. Beijing - China: 160
3. Lahore - Pakistan: 159
4. New York - USA: 152
5. Jakarta - Indonesia: 137
6. Delhi - India: 133
7. Sao Paulo - Brazil: 128
8. Chicago - USA: 125
9. Ho Chi Minh - Vietnam: 123
10. Santiago - Chile: 114

Here are the 10 cities with the cleanest air in the world:

1. Sydney - Australia: 10
2. Auckland - New Zealand: 12
3. Bratislava - Slovakia: 14
4. Stockholm - Sweden: 17
5. Oslo - Norway: 17
6. San Francisco - USA: 20
7. Berlin - Germany: 21
8. Budapest - Hungary: 22
9. Vancouver - Canada: 22
10. Dublin - Ireland: 22