Two-thirds of the world’s most polluted cities are in India

Country accounts for 14 of the top 20 smoggiest urban areas

Several Chinese cities, including Beijing, have dramatically improved their air quality in recent years, while Indian metropolises remain some of the world’s worst polluted, according to a new report.

Beijing — once infamous for its toxic haze — has reduced smog levels and dropped down a list of the world’s most polluted cities, falling to 199 from 84 three years before, according to the 2019 World Air Quality Report published yesterday by IQAir AirVisual. In contrast, India still dominated its list of the smoggiest urban areas, accounting for 14 of the top 20.

What is responsible for the pollution?

Despite new government policies meant to address the issue, New Delhi’s air quality has fallen from where it was five years ago, rising to the fifth-worst spot globally and making it by far the world’s most polluted major city, the report said. The worstranked city — Ghaziabad — is a Delhi suburb, as are a number of others ranked separately in the top 20.

India, China and other Asian countries remain disproportionately affected by toxic air as a result of factors ranging from crowded cities, vehicular exhaust, coal-fired power plants, agricultural burning and industrial emissions. The issue is hardly tangential. The World Health Organisation estimates that dirty air kills around 7 million people each year.

Unaware of health concerns

India faces a starkly different situation. Across much of northern India, air quality remains catastrophic as politicians prioritise economic growth and spar over responsibility. Many citizens are still unaware of health concerns and resource-starved agencies struggle to carry out new — or even existing — measures designed to curb the smog.

“In Beijing, it’s a priority — in China, when they say something, they do it, they put the resources in,” said Yann Boquillod, AirVisual’s director of air quality monitoring. “In India, it’s just starting.”