In 2024, only seven countries met WHO air quality standards, with Chad and Bangladesh identified as the most polluted. The U.S. has ceased its global air quality monitoring initiative, removing 17 years of data crucial for many developing countries. The loss of this data is expected to severely impact pollution tracking and mitigation efforts in regions like Africa.
In a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO), only seven countries achieved air quality standards in 2024, highlighting the rising challenge of global air pollution amid the cessation of U.S. monitoring efforts. Chad and Bangladesh have emerged as the most polluted nations, with smog levels exceeding WHO guidelines by over 15 times based on data from IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring company.
The fortunate seven nations that met WHO air quality criteria include Australia, New Zealand, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Estonia, and Iceland. However, a considerable limitation exists in data availability, especially in regions like Asia and Africa, where developing countries have depended on U.S. embassy sensors to monitor their air quality.
The U.S. State Department recently opted to terminate this protocol due to budget constraints, resulting in the removal of 17 years of air quality data from the government’s monitoring website, airnow.gov, including crucial readings from Chad.
Christi Chester-Schroeder, IQAir’s air quality science manager, indicated that the reduction in reliable air quality data will significantly affect Africa, as these sensors often provided the only real-time monitoring accessible to the public. Notably, Chad, which was excluded from IQAir’s 2023 rankings due to data concerns, continues to struggle with severe pollution, largely attributed to Sahara dust and unregulated agricultural burning.
In 2023, Chad posted a staggering PM2.5 average of 91.8 micrograms per cubic meter, surpassing the WHO’s recommended level of 5 mg/cu m, a standard met by only 17% of cities last year. Following Chad were other countries like India, which ranked fifth, showing a 7% reduction in PM2.5 levels but still accounting for 12 of the top 20 polluted cities.
Climate change has exacerbated air quality issues, leading to more severe forest fires in Southeast Asia and South America. According to Christa Hasenkopf, from the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute, about 34 countries will suffer a loss of reliable pollution data post U.S. program closure. Hasenkopf emphasized that the U.S. monitoring program had previously enhanced air quality, ultimately benefiting public health and reducing US diplomats’ hazard allowances. She remarked, “(It) is a giant blow to air quality efforts worldwide.”
In summary, the discontinuation of U.S. air quality monitoring has significant implications for global pollution tracking, particularly affecting developing nations like Chad and Bangladesh. The alarming pollution levels recorded in these countries underscore the urgent need for continuous monitoring to combat air quality deterioration. As climate change worsens, the loss of reliable data sources poses a serious impediment to effective pollution management. The collective response to this challenge is critical to improving air safety globally.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
