Pollution is increasing rapidly throughout the world and our daily lives and consumption of resources are hugely responsible for this. According to a recent report on air quality and health in different cities in the world, the results are quite scary for India. India is now home to the most polluted cities globally as New Delhi and Kolkata ranked highest as the top 2 most polluted cities in the world.
Delhi Is The Most Polluted City Across The Globe!
A report on Air Pollution and Health in cities around the world was published last week on 17 August 2022 by Health Effects Institute’s State of Global Air Initiative and it showed Delhi ranks at the top of the table of the most polluted cities in the world. The research determined the pollution in the cities on the basis of the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide in the air. 7,000 cities were considered for this extensive research and they ranked the chart of most polluted cities with only 103 cities that are most polluted.
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How Are These Air Pollutants Harmful?
PM2.5 refers to the atmospheric particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre. It is extremely fine and thinner than the diameter of a single human hair. PM2.5 forms because of the combustion of fuel and it is very harmful as it can lead to serious respiratory problems and many short-term health issues. And nitrogen dioxide leads to respiratory infections, diseases in the human respiratory tract, and even deaths.
Mumbai is another city in India that made it to the list. The City of dreams ranks the 14th on this list. According to the research, Delhi experienced the most exposure to a population-weighted annual average of PM2.5 in 2019. It was 110 μg/m3 in Delhi and 84 μg/m3 in Kolkata. The research also showed that this extreme PM2.5 in the air led to about 29,900 deaths in Delhi in 2019. The number was 21,380 in Kolkata and 16,020 in Mumbai.
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The Highest Polluted Cities In The World According To The PM2.5 Level (μg/m3):
- Delhi: 110 μg/m3
- Kolkata: 84 μg/m3
- Kano: 83.6 μg/m3
- Lima: 73.2 μg/m3
- Dhaka: 71.4 μg/m3
- Jakarta: 67.3 μg/m3
- Lagos: 66.9 μg/m3
- Karachi: 63.6 μg/m3
- Beijing: 55 μg/m3
- Accra: 51.9 μg/m3