The World Air Quality Report 2024 offers an analysis of global air quality trends, focusing on PM2.5 concentrations and Air Quality Index (AQI) across different countries and cities . The data is sourced from over 15,432 air quality monitoring stations .
Key Findings:
- Global Overview: Only 17% of cities worldwide met the WHO annual air quality guidelines for PM2.5 .
- Most Polluted Countries: Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India had the highest AQI levels .
- Cleanest Air: Oceania recorded the least polluted air among continents, with 54.5% of cities meeting WHO guidelines .
- Regional Hotspots: Asia recorded the highest AQI levels, with 68% of cities having AQI levels above the “Good” category . South and Central Asian countries recorded high air quality levels .
- Only 11.7% of cities worldwide met the WHO annual guidelines for PM2.5 .
- Health Impact: Air pollution caused 8.1 million deaths globally in 2021, and was the second leading risk factor for death . Over 700,000 deaths in children under 5 years were linked to air pollution in 2021 .
Focus on India:
- India ranked among the countries with the highest AQI levels . India ranked 5th most polluted country in 2024 (down from 3rd in 2023) .
- In India, only 10 cities achieved the ‘Good’ AQI annual average .
- India saw a 7% decrease in PM2.5 levels, averaging 50.6 µg/m³ .
- The top 10 cities in the world with the highest AQI levels are all in India . 92 out of the 100 cities with the highest AQI levels in the World are in India .
- Delhi is the most polluted capital city in the world . In 2024, the pollution level rose in Delhi by 6% .
The report uses AQI and PM2.5 metrics, with PM2.5 data reported in µg/m³ .
