In a revealing report by the Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, it has been uncovered that only seven countries globally met safe air pollution levels in 2023. This World Air Quality Report draws on extensive data from over 30,000 monitoring stations across 134 countries, territories, and regions.
2023 Air Quality Insights
The report highlights a concerning breach of safe air standards in 124 countries, based on World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The primary culprit is PM2.5 (fine particulate matter), microscopic particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter. These particles are particularly harmful as they can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. The health risks associated with PM2.5 are severe, including heart and lung disease, high blood pressure, increased asthma risk, depression, anxiety, and premature death.
The Seven Countries with Safe Air Quality
The seven nations that have successfully maintained safe air quality, with levels at or below five micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m3), include Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, and New Zealand. Additional regions such as Puerto Rico, Bermuda, and French Polynesia also achieved safe air quality levels.
Within Europe, Iceland boasts the cleanest air, with an impressive 4µg/m3, followed by Estonia with 4.7µg/m3 and Finland with 4.9µg/m3. A colour scale used to indicate pollution levels placed many European countries in the green category, denoting pollution levels up to double the safe standard. Notable countries in this category include Sweden, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Liechtenstein, Denmark, United Kingdom, Andorra, Latvia, Ukraine, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, France, Austria, Spain, and Russia.
Improvements in European Cities
European cities have shown notable improvements since the 2022 report. In 2023, 54% of European cities were classified as green, compared to only 39% the previous year. This improvement reflects ongoing efforts and policies aimed at reducing pollution and promoting cleaner air.
The Struggle with Air Pollution in Europe
Despite these advancements, several European countries still struggle with air pollution. Nations in the yellow category, indicating pollution levels up to three times above the safe standard, include Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, Cyprus, Slovenia, and Italy. Croatia demonstrated significant progress by reducing its PM2.5 levels by over 40% from 2022 to 2023. This achievement is largely due to the country’s increased use of renewables, which now constitute more than 31% of its energy mix, surpassing the EU average of 23%. Additionally, Croatia has committed to phasing out coal by 2033, reducing methane emissions by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030, and ending deforestation by 2030.
Global Air Quality Concerns
Globally, the worst air quality is found in South and Central Asia, home to the top ten most polluted cities. Bangladesh holds the unfortunate title of the most polluted country, with PM2.5 levels at 79.9 µg/m3—over 15 times the WHO guideline. Following Bangladesh, Pakistan and India also face severe pollution, with levels 14 and 10 times above the safe standard, respectively. Tajikistan and Burkina Faso are the fourth and fifth most polluted countries, with PM2.5 levels nine times above safe standards.
For the first time, Canada was identified as the most polluted country in North America, housing the region’s 13 most polluted cities.
A Call to Action
The World Air Quality Report serves as a critical call to action to curb pollution levels, especially in areas housing vulnerable and underrepresented populations. A significant lack of data across African countries leaves a third of the continent’s population without access to air quality information, excluding many from the study.
“A clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a universal human right,” states Frank Hammes, Global CEO of IQAir. “In many parts of the world, the lack of air quality data delays decisive action and perpetuates unnecessary human suffering.”
Efforts to manage transboundary haze and reduce reliance on combustion as an energy source are urgently needed. “In 2023, air pollution remained a global health catastrophe,” notes Aidan Farrow, a senior air quality scientist at Greenpeace International. “IQAir’s global data set provides an important reminder of the resulting injustices and the need to implement the many solutions that exist to this problem.”