World Air Quality Report 2023:
Delhi was identified as the capital city with the poorest air quality, according to a new report by World Air Quality Report 2023.
Highlights:
- With an average air annual particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre, India had the third worst air quality.
- India was better than only two of its neighbouring countries, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
- While Bangladesh remained the most polluted country in the world, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 79.9 micrograms per cubic metre, Pakistan was second, with a level of 73.7.
- It also identified Delhi as the most polluted capital city in the world for the fourth consecutive time. Bihar’s Begusarai was termed the world’s most polluted metropolitan area.
- Ten out of the top 11 most polluted cities in the world are from India, the other being Lahore in Pakistan.
- 96 percent of the Indian population experiences PM2.5 levels more than seven times the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline.
