A report from IQ Air, a Swiss air quality-monitoring company, disclosed that only seven countries met the World Health Organization’s air pollution guidelines in 2023. Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India were singled out as the most affected, with particle pollution levels exceeding WHO recommendations by at least tenfold. The findings underscored the global extent of the problem, with over 92% of regions analyzed, including the United States, Seven countries surpassing particulate pollution guidelines.
Canada emerged as North America’s most polluted country, primarily due to an unprecedented wildfire season that engulfed over 45 million acres. Wildfire smoke not only worsened air quality within Canada but also affected neighboring regions, contributing to an overall increase in particle pollution from 2022 to 2023. This trend highlights the significant health risks posed by air pollution from fossil fuel combustion, compounded by factors such as climate change-induced wildfires.
The analysis emphasized the widespread health impacts of air pollution, with particulate matter of approximately 2.5 microns penetrating deeply into the body’s cells. IQAir Global CEO Frank Hammes highlighted the alarming statistic that air pollution contributes to approximately 6.7 million premature deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization. In the United States, while overall air pollution levels saw only marginal increases, certain regions experienced significant spikes in pollution due to wildfires originating from Canada, posing serious health risks and undoing decades of air quality improvements. Read MOre…
