Context: Recently, IQ Air, a Swiss air quality technology company released a report titled “World Air Quality Report, 2020”.
About World Air Quality Report
- It is an annual report based on PM2.5 data.
- It is from 106 countries based on data from ground-based monitoring stations.
- The report is handled by government agencies mostly.
Key Findings Related to India
- India is home to 35 of the world’s 50 most polluted cities in the World.
- Delhi has gotten listed as the 10th most polluted city and the top polluted capital city in the world in 2020. However, Delhi’s air quality improved by approximately 15% from 2019 to 2020.
- India ranked as the world’s 3rd most polluted country in 2020 after Bangladesh and Pakistan. However, India has improved its average annual PM2.5 (particulate matter) levels in 2020 than in 2019.
- Further, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, 2020 was particularly severe for stubble burning in India. Farm fires in Punjab have increased by 46.5% over 2019.
Other Key Global Findings
- The topmost polluted city in the world is Xinjiang in China, followed by Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.
- In 2020, 84% of all monitored countries observed air quality improvements. However, of the 106 monitored countries, only 24 met the World Health Organization annual guidelines for PM 2.5.
Suggestion
- While many cities, including Delhi, have recorded marginal improvements in air quality due to lockdowns, the health and economic cost of air pollution remain severe.
- Therefore, it is pertinent that governments prioritise sustainable and clean energy sources, as well as the cities, need to encourage low cost, active and carbon-neutral mobility choices such as walking, cycling, and accessible public transport.
- Speeding up the transition to clean energy and clean transport not only saves lives but also dramatically reduces healthcare-related costs.