How many countries met WHO air quality standards in 2024?
Only seven countries met WHO air quality standards in 2024, according to data from IQAir, a Switzerland-based air quality monitoring company. Researchers have warned that the fight against smog will become even harder after the US cuts aid.
Chad and Bangladesh were the most polluted countries in the world last year, with average smog levels more than 15 times higher than WHO guidelines, according to IQAir’s analysis. Only Australia, New Zealand, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Estonia, and Iceland managed to meet WHO air quality standards.
After Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India ranked as the fifth most polluted country in the world in 2024.
The World Health Organization recommends no more than 5 micrograms per cubic meter of emissions of toxic fine particles known as PM2.5, a standard that was met by only 17 percent of countries last year.
