The list of the world's 100 most air-polluted cities has been released, but no Vietnamese cities are included.

Globally, only 10 countries and 9% of cities meet the air quality standards for PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Vehicles move through smog and air pollution in Delhi, India - Photo: AFP

CNN reported on March 19th, citing a report by global air quality monitoring agency IQAir, that 99 out of the 100 most air-polluted cities in the world are located in Asia. Of these, 83 cities in India have PM2.5 concentrations 10 times higher than the WHO standard. Only 9% of the 7,812 cities analyzed by IQAir met the WHO standard. The PM2.5 concentration in these cities did not exceed 5 micrograms (µg) per ^cubic meter annually. Begusarai, a city with half a million inhabitants in the northern Indian state of Bihar, was the most polluted city in the world in 2023 with an average PM2.5 concentration of 118.9 µg/ ^m³ – 23 times higher than the WHO standard. Following Begusarai were Guwahati, Delhi, and Mullanpur, all in India. According to IQAir, 1.3 billion people in India, equivalent to 96% of the population, are living in air pollution conditions seven times higher than the WHO standard. The four most polluted countries in 2023 were Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Tajikistan. These countries are located in Central and South Asia. IQAir found that 92.5% of the 7,812 locations in 134 countries, regions, and territories had PM2.5 concentrations exceeding the WHO standard.

Only 10 countries, regions, and territories have clean air, including Finland, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, and Polynesia. Every year, millions of people worldwide die from health problems related to air pollution. According to a study published in the BMJ journal in November 2023, air pollution from the use of fossil fuels claims the lives of 5.1 million people annually. Meanwhile, the WHO reports that 6.7 million people worldwide die each year due to the combined effects of ambient and indoor air pollution. The climate crisis also causes a range of environmental problems, such as wildfires and floods. Indonesia is the most polluted country in Asia, with PM2.5 concentrations in 2023 increasing by 20% compared to 2022. Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand all have cities exceeding WHO standards by up to ten times. Vietnam ranks 22nd out of 134 countries, regions, and territories. Hanoi is ranked 233rd, Ho Chi Minh City 1048th, and Da Nang 1182nd. Tra Vinh city was rated the cleanest (6,806th) and Tay Ho district the most polluted (71st) in Vietnam in 2023 by IQAir.

Reduced life expectancy due to air pollution.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can penetrate human lung tissue as well as the bloodstream, leading to asthma, heart disease, lung disease, cancer, various respiratory illnesses, and cognitive decline in children. Frank Hammes, CEO of IQAir, stated that people living in the most polluted countries often suffer from many serious illnesses and experience a reduction of 3 to 6 years in their life expectancy.

Quang Nghia - Tuoitre.vn

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