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The ‘World Air Quality Report 2020’

Topics Covered: Pollution and conservation related issues.

The ‘World Air Quality Report 2020’:

Context:

It is a report on air quality released by Swiss organisation, IQAir.

  • The global cities ranking report is based on PM2.5 data from 106 countries, which is measured by ground-based monitoring stations, most of which are operated by government agencies.

Air Pollution in Indian cities:

  1. Delhi is the world’s most polluted capital: Although Delhi’s air quality improved by nearly 15 per cent from 2019 to 2020, the city still ranked as the 10th most polluted city in the world and the most polluted capital.
  2. 22 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities including Delhi are in India.
  3. Ghaziabad is the second most polluted city in the world after Xinjiang in China.
  4. The eight Indian cities in the top 10 list are — Bulandshahar, Bisrakh Jalalpur, Noida, Greater Noida, Kanpur, Lucknow (all in UP), Bhiwari in Rajasthan and Delhi.
  5. Major sources of India’s air pollution include transportation, biomass burning for cooking, electricity generation, industry, construction, waste burning and episodic agricultural burning.

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Global Scenario:

  • India is the third most polluted country in 2020, unlike in 2019, when its air was the fifth most noxious.
  • Bangladesh and Pakistan were the countries in 2020 with worse average PM2.5 levels than India, said the report.
  • China ranked 11th in the latest report.
  • of the 106 monitored countries, only 24 met the World Health Organization annual guidelines for PM 2.5.

Way ahead:

While many cities, including Delhi, have recorded marginal improvements in air quality due to lockdowns, the health and economic cost of air pollution remain severe.

  • Therefore, it is pertinent that governments prioritise sustainable and clean energy sources, as well as the cities, need to encourage low cost, active and carbon-neutral mobility choices such as walking, cycling, and accessible public transport.
  • Speeding up the transition to clean energy and clean transport not only saves lives but also dramatically reduces healthcare-related costs.

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

  1. About the report- released by, criteria for ranking.
  2. Performance of India and its cities.
  3. Performance of countries worldwide.
  4. Relative performance of India.

Mains Link:

Why despite efforts at various levels, Delhi is ranked as the most polluted capital in world? Comment.

Sources: the Hindu.