World Air Quality Report 2024

World Air Quality Report 2024

Why in News?

The World Air Quality Report 2024, released by Swiss company IQAir, has ranked India as the 5th most polluted country in the world.

Key Findings from the World Air Quality Report

• India: India ranks as the 5th most polluted country in 2024, showing a slight improvement from its 3rd-place position in 2023.
• Polluted Cities: Delhi remains the world’s most polluted capital, with a PM2.5 concentration of 91.6 µg/m³ (micrograms per cubic meter). Six of the world’s ten most polluted cities and 13 of the top 20 cities are in India. Byrnihat (located at the Assam-Meghalaya border) tops the list with a PM2.5 concentration of 128.2 µg/m³. Other heavily polluted cities include Mullanpur (Punjab), Gurugram, Faridabad, Bhiwadi, and Noida.
• PM2.5 Reduction: India saw a 7% decrease in PM2.5 levels, with an average of 50.6 µg/m³ in 2024, down from 54.4 µg/m³ in 2023. However, this is still ten times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended safe limit of 5 µg/m³, with 35% of Indian cities reporting PM2.5 levels surpassing this limit.
• Pollution Sources: Major contributors to pollution include vehicle emissions, industrial activity, and the burning of biomass. Northern India experienced extreme pollution levels, with crop stubble-burning contributing to 60% of PM2.5 levels.
• Global Pollution: The most polluted countries by annual average PM2.5 levels are Chad (91.8 µg/m³), Bangladesh (78 µg/m³), Pakistan (73.7 µg/m³), and Congo (58.2 µg/m³). The report emphasizes that the majority of the global population is exposed to polluted air, with only 12 countries, regions, or territories reporting PM2.5 concentrations below the WHO’s recommended limit.

Air Pollution
Air pollution refers to the contamination of air by chemical, physical, or biological agents that alter its natural composition.
Key sources include combustion, vehicles, industries, and fires. Pollutants like PM, CO, O₃, NO₂, and SO₂ can lead to respiratory diseases and higher mortality rates.
According to WHO, 99% of the global population breathes polluted air, with low- and middle-income countries being the most affected. Prolonged exposure to PM2.5 reduces life expectancy by 5.2 years in India, with 1.5 million deaths annually between 2009 and 2019, according to the Lancet Planetary Health Study. WHO's Air Quality Guidelines (AQG) aim to guide governments in reducing air pollution and improving public health.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

• Prelims
  Q. Which of the following atmospheric gases are typically considered when calculating the Air Quality Index (AQI) in cities in India? (2016)
• Carbon dioxide
• Carbon monoxide
• Nitrogen dioxide
• Sulphur dioxide
• Methane

Select the correct answer using the code below:

(a) 1, 2, and 3 only
(b) 2, 3, and 4 only
(c) 1, 4, and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

Ans: (b)

• Mains
  Q. Discuss the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). How do they differ from the last update in 2005? What changes are needed in India’s National Clean Air Programme to meet these revised standards? (2021)

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