Air Pollution

Highlights of the World Air Quality Report, 2023

Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia
Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: World Air Quality Report, Particulate Matters

Mains level: NA

Why in the news-

  • India has been ranked as the third-most polluted country in 2023, following Bangladesh and Pakistan, according to the ‘World Air Quality Report 2023’ by IQAir.
  • IQAir is a Swiss air quality technology company, specializing in protection against airborne pollutants, developing air quality monitoring and air cleaning products

Comparative Analysis

 

  • Previous Rankings: In 2022, India held the eighth position among the most polluted countries with an average PM2.5 concentration of 53.3 micrograms per cubic meter, demonstrating a marginal increase in pollution levels.
  • Global Rankings: The report ranked 42 Indian cities among the top 50 most polluted cities globally, with Begusarai, Guwahati, and Delhi leading the list.

Key Highlights

(A)  Most Polluted Indian Cities:

  • Ten out of the top 11 most polluted cities in the world are from India, the other being Lahore in Pakistan.
  • Begusarai, located in Bihar, witnessed a significant increase in PM 2.5 concentration from 19.7 micrograms per cubic metre in 2022 to 118.9 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023.
  • Guwahati’s PM2.5 concentration doubled from 51 to 105.4 micrograms per cubic meter between 2022 and 2023.
  • Delhi saw an increase in PM2.5 concentration from 89.1 to 92.7 micrograms per cubic meter over the same period.
  • Other Indian cities featuring in the top 50 most polluted cities of the world list included Greater Noida (11), Muzzafarnagar (16), Gurgaon (17), Arrah (18), Dadri (19), Patna (20), Faridabad (25), Noida (26), Meerut (28), Ghaziabad (35) and Rohtak (47).

(B) Global Insights:

  • Oceania—comprising Australia, New Zealand, and French Polynesia—remained the region with the cleanest air in 2023.
  • The report highlighted the top five most polluted countries worldwide, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Tajikistan, and Burkina Faso.
  • Seven countries which met the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline (annual average of 5 µg/m3 or less) included Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, and New Zealand.
  • Despite previous declines, China experienced a 6.3% increase in PM2.5 concentration in 2023, signalling a concerning trend.
  • For the first time, Canada emerged as the most polluted country in Northern America, reflecting regional air quality challenges.
  • Africa remains the most underrepresented continent, with a third of the population still lacking access to air quality data.

What are Particulate Matters (PM)?

 

  • Particulate matter (PM) consists of a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air.
  • These particles come from various sources, including vehicle emissions, industrial processes, construction activities, agricultural activities, wildfires, and natural dust.
  • PM can be classified into different size categories based on its aerodynamic diameter.
  • Common size fractions include PM10 (particles with a diameter of 10 micrometres or smaller) and PM2.5 (particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller).
  • PM 2.5 are so small that they can penetrate deep into the respiratory system and enter the bloodstream, posing significant health risks.
  • Long-term exposure to elevated levels of PM2.5 has been linked to reduced lung function, aggravated asthma, and increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

PYQ:

Q.Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are the three Mega cities of the country but the air pollution is much more serious problem in Delhi as compared to the other two. Why is this so? (2015)

 

Q.In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index? (2016)

  1. Carbon dioxide
  2. Carbon monoxide
  3. Nitrogen dioxide
  4. Sulphur dioxide
  5. Methane

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1, 2 and 3 only
  2. 2, 3 and 4 only
  3. 1, 4 and 5 only
  4. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

 

Practice MCQ:

Consider the following statements:

  1. Particulate matter (PM) consists of a mixture of solid particles as well as liquid droplets suspended in the air.
  2. PM 2.5 can penetrate deep into the respiratory system and enter the bloodstream, posing significant health risks.
  3. Natural dust does not contribute to PM.

How many of the given statements is/are correct?

  1. One
  2. Two
  3. Three
  4. None

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