Latest news with #WorldAirQualityReport
Scroll.in
05-08-2025
- Health
- Scroll.in
Delhi recorded 57 ‘very poor' air quality days in 2024-'25, Byrnihat was highest at 66
Delhi recorded 57 days when the air quality was ' very poor ' and 91 days when it was 'poor' in the financial year 2024-'25, the Union Ministry of Environment told Parliament on Monday. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh said that Byrnihat on the Assam-Meghalaya border saw the highest number of 'very poor' air quality days at 66. The town recorded the air quality slipping to 'poor' on 98 days. Patna in Bihar and Haryana's Gurugram saw the highest number of poor air quality days at 132 each in 2024-'25, followed by Hajipur at 112, Asansol at 109 and Greater Noida at 105, said Singh. An air quality index value between 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', while an index value between 301 and 400 is considered 'very poor'. Air quality in the 'very poor' category can lead to respiratory illness on prolonged exposure. Vulnerable groups, including children under five years of age, elderly persons, pregnant women and those with respiratory or heart conditions, may experience adverse health effects even after short exposure. In March, the World Air Quality Report pointed out that 13 of the world's 20 most polluted cities in 2024 were in India, with Byrnihat topping the list. Delhi was the most polluted capital city in the world. India was the fifth most polluted country, down from third in 2023, and home to six of the nine most polluted global cities. The report analysed PM2.5 air quality data collected from 8,954 cities in 138 countries, regions and territories. PM2.5 refers to tiny airborne particulate matter that is about 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair and can easily be breathed into the lungs and the bloodstream. The Indian cities featured in the 20 most polluted places are: Byrnihat, Delhi, Punjab's Mullanpur, Faridabad, Loni, Gurugram, Ganganagar, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Muzaffarnagar, Hanumangarh and Noida. Days after the report, a parliamentary standing committee said it was shocked that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had utilised less than 1% of Rs 858 crore allocated to a scheme aimed at controlling pollution in 2024-'25. The committee said that air, water and noise pollution had gone beyond permissible limits in the last few years and had serious consequences for public health and well-being. Air pollution has assumed 'gigantic proportions' and has become a national issue, it added.
Hindustan Times
11-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
London's clean air gains should inspire bold global action, says Mayor Sadiq Khan
New Delhi, Mayor Sadiq Khan, who is on a mission to make London net zero by 2030, has called on global leaders to draw inspiration from the city's efforts to improve air quality and said that he hopes that its clean air initiatives will encourage bold action on environmental challenges worldwide. Replying to a questionnaire sent to him by PTI, Khan underlined the importance of shared responsibility between governments, businesses and communities to achieve climate goals. London declared a climate emergency in 2018, following a motion passed by its assembly. The city has since taken several steps to combat the impacts of climate change, including establishing a large clean air zone, he said. "I am committed to making London net zero by 2030 and have implemented an array of climate policies and initiatives to help get us there. However, reaching net zero needs to be a collective effort, and that is why I am working closely with the government, alongside local councils, businesses, and London's communities," Khan told PTI. He said he also hopes that the results achieved in London will inspire leaders both in the UK and around the world to be bold in addressing environmental challenges in their cities, and to take strong action to improve air quality to protect their citizens and the environment. While London aims to be net zero by 2030, the UK hopes to cut greenhouse emissions to zero by 2050. According to the City Hall's 2021 Energy Monitoring Report, referable developments in London achieved carbon reductions 46.2 per cent higher than those required by national legal standards for new buildings. The Mayor's Energy Efficiency Fund, launched in 2018, has mobilised over 330 million pounds for net-zero projects. These include retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency, expanding electric vehicle infrastructure and developing local heat networks to decarbonise energy use. London's policies have been highlighted internationally, including through platforms such as the C40 Cities a global network of mayors working to confront the climate crisis. Indian officials and urban planners, including those from Delhi, also a member of the C40 group, have participated in these forums to exchange urban strategies to tackle air pollution and climate change. London has taken significant steps to reduce pollution and address climate change, and some Indian cities are drawing inspiration from these examples. Multiple cities in Maharashtra, including Pimpri Chinchwad and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, are planning to introduce low emission zones a concept implemented in London. The Delhi government has expanded its electric bus fleet as part of its broader clean transport push to cut emissions. According to the 2024 World Air Quality Report, Delhi is the world's most polluted capital city. Several Indian cities, including Delhi, face persistent air quality challenges, particularly in the winter months when particulate matter levels frequently exceed safe thresholds. According to the Central Pollution Control Board , vehicular emissions, construction dust, and biomass burning remain among the key contributors. As part of the newly signed UK-India Free Trade Agreement, British clean energy companies will have unprecedented access to India's public procurement market. This opens the door for UK firms to bid for large-scale renewable energy projects across India. According to a statement issued by the UK government, the agreement represents a key step toward greater commercial participation in India's energy transition, which targets 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030. The demand is expected to grow across sectors, including offshore wind, hydrogen, smart grids and battery storage. One of the most important interventions under Khan's tenure in London has been the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone , which in August 2023 was extended to cover all 32 London boroughs. The zone now spans 1,500 square kilometres and impacts nearly 9 million residents. Transport decarbonisation remains a central component of the city's climate strategy. London currently hosts over 22,700 public electric vehicle charging points nearly a third of the UK's total including about 1,350 rapid or ultra-rapid chargers, based on data from the London Assembly and the Mayor's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy . The city's bus fleet includes more than 1,400 battery electric buses and 20 hydrogen fuel cell buses. The wider fleet is largely compliant with ULEZ standards, according to Transport for London. Since 2017, the London Community Energy Fund has supported 194 community-led projects, leading to the installation of 3.3 MWp of solar photovoltaic capacity and an estimated lifetime savings of around 9,600 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, according to City Hall reports. The city aims to support up to 1,000 such projects by 2030 as part of its net-zero emissions roadmap.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
‘Isotopic study of dust particles undertaken to understand their impact on environment'
With several cities in the state being hotspots of air pollution, Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) has initiated some necessary steps to reduce the load and ensure a safe environment for people. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In an exclusive interview by B K Mishra, BSPCB chairman Devendra Kumar Shukla has said the board has recently launched an isotopic study of dust particles in collaboration with National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, for identifying their source. Excerpts: Bihar is ranked among one of the most polluted regions in the world. Why? Some pockets of Bihar are certainly considered hotspots of air pollution mainly due to the large concentration of dust particles in atmosphere, but due to the recent initiatives of the BSPCB, the position has improved considerably. Recently released World Air Quality Report, 2025, by Swiss firm IQAir has shown signs of improvement in several towns. Notably, Patna's position has improved significantly, dropping from 20th place in 2023 to 37th this year. What initiatives have been taken by the board to combat air pollution? Most recently, the board, in collaboration with National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), has undertaken an isotopic study of dust particles in the air to understand their sources, transport and impact on the environment. The NIO has already started collecting samples of dust particles from Patna region in the first phase. After collecting samples from different parts of the state, the work will focus on using isotopic ratios, particularly Sr and Nd isotopes, to trace the origins of the dust particles, especially those transported from river Ganga. Q. You are also making some studies in collaboration with the IITs? A. Earlier, last year, the board started the study of dust particles in three most polluted cities of the state, namely, Patna, Muzaffarpur and Gaya, in collaboration with the IITs. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The study will identify the "seasonal mass concentration level of PM2.5 and PM10 in ambient air" of the extended urban areas of the thee cities. PM 2.5 and PM 10 are minute particles present in the air, and exposure to these is harmful to health. Real-time source apportionment studies help identify factors, such as vehicles, dust, biomass burning, and emissions from industries, responsible for an increase in air pollution in an area. The study on dust particles of Patna region is likely to be completed this year. What about water pollution in the state? Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali scheme of the state has not only provided the people with drinking water supply but also enhanced the rate of groundwater recharge. About 1.85 lakh hectare area has benefited under eco-restoration scheme with focus on watershed development. Further, more than 3,500 ahar pynes (a traditional water management and irrigation system) will be restored under the fourth agricultural road map of the state. All these will result in the total groundwater reserve of 34.15 BCM, of which 30.95 BCM can be extracted. At present, only 14.1 BCM of groundwater is being extracted. Hence, there is no problem of groundwater pollution in 473 blocks of the state. Do you think groundwater is being misused in urban areas? As many areas of the state are water-surplus, people are in habit of misutilising this resource. But, its overexploitation can be checked by introducing water meter in the supply system. People will try to save water, if they have to pay for it.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Report reveals 2024's most polluted cities, countries: Which US cities made the list?
The South Asian countries of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh are among the most polluted countries in the world while Australia, New Zealand and Iceland are among the least polluted countries, a new study by IQAir had determined. IQAir, a Swiss technology company that studies air quality and pollution and specializes in protection against airborne pollutants, released its seventh annual World Air Quality Report Tuesday, which highlighted "alarming trends of the world's most polluted countries, territories, and regions in 2024." All but one of the world's top 20 most polluted cities last year were in Asia, with the majority of these cities – 13 – in India, the world's most populous country. Neighboring Pakistan followed with four of the most polluted cities, with China and Kazakhstan having one each. Data from more than 40,000 air quality monitoring stations across 8,954 locations in 138 countries, territories and regions were analyzed by IQAir's air quality scientists for this year's report, IQAir said. The Excerpt: Could the ocean be our solution to climate change? "Air pollution remains the greatest environmental threat to human health," the report said, adding 99% percent of the global population lives in areas that do not meet recommended air quality guideline levels, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Air pollution is also the second leading global risk factor for death, and the second leading risk factor for deaths among children under five, following malnutrition, because of its significant impact on respiratory and developmental health, as per the WHO. "Air pollution remains a critical threat to both human health and environmental stability, yet vast populations remain unaware of their exposure levels," Global CEO of IQAir Frank Hammes said in a statement. "Air quality data saves lives. It creates much needed awareness, informs policy decisions, guiding public health interventions, and empowers communities to take action to reduce air pollution and protect future generations." Only 17% of global cities meet WHO air pollution guidelines, with 126 countries and regions out of 138 exceeding the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline value of 5 micrograms/cubic meters. Here's a look at which countries and regions are the most polluted and which are the least, including in the United States. While Ontario, California was the most polluted city in the U.S. in 2024, the most polluted major U.S. city was Los Angeles, according to the report. In fact, the top five most polluted cities in the U.S. were in California. Here a list of the 10 most polluted cities in the U.S.: Ontario, California Bloomington, California Huntington Park, California San Bernardino, California Fontana, California Visalia, California Mission, Texas Glendora, California Hanford, California Conroe, Texas Map: How is the air quality near me? Track AQI in the U.S. Seattle, Washington was the cleanest major city in the U.S., though Waimea, Hawaii was the least polluted regional city in the U.S., which overall ranked 116 on the World Air Quality Report 2024. Here a list of the 10 least polluted cities in the U.S.: Waimea, Hawaii Ocean View, Hawaii Seaside, California Stanwood, Washington Mountain View, Hawaii Lander, Wyoming Astoria, Oregon Tillamook, Oregon Silverdale, Washington Kihei, Hawaii The twenty most polluted countries in the world are: Chad: More than 18 times higher than the WHO PM2.5 annual guideline. Bangladesh: More than 15 times higher than the WHO PM2.5 annual guideline. Pakistan: More than 14 times higher than the WHO PM2.5 annual guideline. Democratic Republic of the Congo: More than 11 times higher than the WHO PM2.5 annual guideline. India: More than 10 times higher than the WHO PM2.5 annual guideline. Tajikistan Nepal Uganda Rwanda Burundi Nigeria Egypt Iraq Ghana Indonesia Gambia United Arab Emirates Bahrain Uzbekistan Qatar Byrnihat in eastern India was the most polluted metropolitan area of 2024, with India home to six of the nine most polluted global cities. The region of Central and South Asia, meanwhile, is home to the top seven most polluted cities in the world. Here's a list of the 10 most polluted cities in the world: Byrnihat, India Delhi, India Karaganda, Kazakhstan Mullanpur, India Lahore, Pakistan Faridabad, India N'Djamena, Chad Loni, India New Delhi, India Multan, Pakistan Only seven countries met WHO's annual average PM2.5 guideline. These include: Australia Bahamas Barbados Estonia Grenada Iceland New Zealand The cleanest cities in the world in 2024 include: Mayaguez, Puerto Rico Nieuwoudtville, South Africa Dexter, Oregon, U.S. Haines, Alaska, U.S. Chu, Kazakhstan Hawaiian Ocean View, Hawaii, U.S. Waimea, Hawaii, U.S. Volcano, Hawaii, U.S. Emu River, Australia Kapaau, Hawaii, U.S. While there has been notable progress in expanding air quality monitoring across various countries, regions, and territories over the past 12 months with low-cost air quality monitors — used by citizen scientists, researchers, community advocates, and local organizations — proven to be effective tools for data collection, "considerable gaps still exist in government-operated regulatory systems in many parts of the world," IQAir said. For example, in Africa, real-time, publicly accessible air quality monitoring data is so scarce that there is only one monitoring station for every 3.7 million people. "The World Air Quality Report underscores how this urgent, data-driven approach is crucial in driving policy changes and collective efforts to reduce pollution for future generations," IQAir said in its report. Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New report reveals 2024's most polluted countries and cities
Zawya
12-03-2025
- General
- Zawya
Majority of the world has polluted air: Report
Geneva: Most of the global population is breathing dirty air, with only 17% of cities meeting air pollution norms, a report has found. The findings were published by Switzerland-based air quality monitoring database IQAir on Tuesday as part of its World Air Quality Report for 2024. Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Congo and India were among the five most polluted countries in the world. Meanwhile, only seven countries — Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Estonia, Grenada, Iceland, and New Zealand — met the annual average PM2.5 guideline established by the World Health Organization. The company's analysis is based on data collected from 40,000 air quality monitoring stations in 138 countries. India accounted for 13 out of the top 20 polluted cities across the globe, according to the report. Byrnihat, a small industrial town situated in the country's northeast, was the most polluted metropolitan area in the world. Delhi continued to remain the most polluted capital city globally. The report said that several parts of the world were not equipped with the monitoring required for more precise data, meaning that the real amount of air pollution could be much more. For instance, it highlighted that in Africa there was only one monitoring station for every 3.7 million people. "There has been notable progress in expanding air quality monitoring across various countries, regions, and territories over the past 12 months. However, considerable gaps still exist in government-operated regulatory systems in many parts of the world," the report said. Meanwhile, Oceania was listed as the cleanest region on the planet, with 57% of the cities meeting the air quality guidelines. © Muscat Media Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
