CNN
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A fresh report indicates that global air pollution reached hazardous levels in 2021.
The IQAir report, which monitors worldwide air quality, disclosed that the average annual air pollution surpassed the World Health Organization’s air quality standards in every nation and 97% of urban areas, which aim to assist governments in developing regulations to safeguard public health.
Only 222 out of the 6,475 cities studied exhibited average air quality compliant with WHO standards. Three regions were found to satisfy WHO criteria: the French territory of New Caledonia, along with the US territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
Countries such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh ranked among those with the highest pollution levels, surpassing the guidelines by at least tenfold.
Scandinavian nations, Australia, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom were listed amongst the leading countries for air quality, where average pollution levels surpassed the guidelines by 1 to 2 times.
In the United States, IQAir reported pollution levels exceeded WHO recommendations by 2 to 3 times in 2021.
“This report highlights the urgent requirement for governments worldwide to take action to decrease global air pollution,” said Glory Dolphin Hammes, CEO of IQAir North America, to CNN. “(Fine particulate matter) results in excessive mortality rates annually, and governments must implement stricter national air quality standards and consider improved international policies to enhance air quality.”
Above: IQAir evaluated average yearly air quality for over 6,000 cities and ranked them from best air quality, marked in blue (Adhering to WHO PM2.5 guideline) to worst, highlighted in purple (Surpassing WHO PM2.5 guideline by more than 10 times). An interactive map is accessible from IQAir.
It is the first significant global air quality report reflecting WHO’s new annual air pollution standards, which were revised in September 2021. The updated guidelines reduced the permissible concentration of fine particulate matter — or PM 2.5 — from 10 to 5 micrograms per cubic meter.
PM 2.5 is the smallest pollutant and one of the most hazardous. When inhaled, it penetrates deep into lung tissue where it can enter the circulatory system. It is produced by activities such as burning fossil fuels, dust storms, and wildfires, and has been associated with various health risks including asthma, heart diseases, and other respiratory conditions.
Air quality issues lead to millions of fatalities each year. In 2016, approximately 4.2 million premature deaths were linked to fine particulate matter, according to WHO. Had the 2021 standards been instituted that year, WHO estimated there might have been nearly 3.3 million fewer deaths caused by pollution.
IQAir examined pollution-monitoring stations across 6,475 cities in 117 countries, regions, and territories.
In the United States, pollution levels surged in 2021 relative to 2020. Among the over 2,400 US cities scrutinized, Los Angeles remained the most polluted city, even with a 6% reduction compared to 2020. Pollution levels rose significantly in Atlanta and Minneapolis, as indicated in the report.
“The US’s dependence on fossil fuels, the heightened intensity of wildfires, and fluctuating enforcement of the Clean Air Act across different administrations have all contributed to air pollution in the US,” the authors noted.
Experts indicate that the primary sources of pollution in the US were transportation reliant on fossil fuels, energy production, and wildfires, which disproportionately affect the nation’s most at-risk and marginalized populations.
“We rely heavily on fossil fuels, especially for transportation,” stated Hammes, who resides near Los Angeles. “We can adopt smart practices with zero emissions, but we continue to lag in action. This has a catastrophic effect on the air pollution we observe in major urban areas.”
Wildfires exacerbated by climate change significantly impacted air quality in the US in 2021. The authors cited several fires that resulted in dangerous air pollution — including the Caldor and Dixie fires in California, along with the Bootleg Fire in Oregon, which sent smoke all the way to the East Coast in July.
China, which ranks among the countries with severe air pollution, displayed improvements in air quality in 2021. Over fifty percent of the Chinese cities considered in the report registered lower pollution levels in comparison to the prior year. Beijing continued a five-year trend of enhanced air quality, as stated in the report, owing to a policy-driven reduction of polluting industries in the capital.
The report also indicated that the Amazon Rainforest, historically a primary buffer against climate change, emitted more carbon dioxide than it absorbed last year. Factors such as deforestation and wildfires have jeopardized the essential ecosystem, contaminated the air, and fueled climate change.
“This contributes to the equation that will cause, or is contributing to, global warming,” Hammes stated.
The report uncovered various disparities: Air quality monitoring stations are limited in some developing regions of Africa, South America, and the Middle East, leading to insufficient air quality data in these areas.
“Without that data, you are truly in the dark,” Hammes remarked.
Hammes pointed out that Chad, an African nation, was mentioned in the report for the first time owing to advancements in its monitoring infrastructure. IQAir reported that the air pollution in Chad was the second-highest globally last year, trailing only Bangladesh.
Tarik Benmarhnia, a climate change epidemiologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, noted that solely relying on monitoring stations can result in missing data in these analyses.
“It’s commendable that they utilized various networks and not only government data,” Benmarhnia, who did not participate in the report, shared with CNN. “Nevertheless, numerous areas lack sufficient monitoring stations and alternative methodologies are available.”
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change determined in its 2021 report that in addition to decelerating global warming, reducing fossil fuel use would also enhance air quality and public health.
Hammes emphasized that the IQAir report serves as even more impetus for the world to move away from fossil fuel reliance.
“We have the report, we can comprehend it, and we must fully commit to taking decisive steps,” she stated. “A significant shift towards renewable energy is essential. Drastic measures are needed to counteract the current trend of global warming; failure to do so may lead to irreversible consequences.”
