Tajikistan has been identified as one of the top four countries with the worst air quality in the world for the year 2023. According to the annual report on air quality by the Swiss company IQAir, Tajikistan ranks with 49 micrograms per cubic meter, exceeding norms by 7-10 times.
In comparison, the most polluted countries were Bangladesh (79.9 micrograms per cubic meter), Pakistan (73.7 micrograms), and India (54.4 micrograms). Among the Central Asian countries, Kyrgyzstan ranked 18th (33.1 micrograms), Uzbekistan 23rd (28.6), and Kazakhstan 40th (22.2). Russia recorded 10 micrograms per cubic meter, Ukraine 8.6, the USA 9.1, Germany 9, and China 32.5.
The report analyzed data from over 30,000 monitoring stations in 7,812 populated areas across 134 countries, focusing on PM 2.5 solid particles in the air. These particles, originating from industrial processes, power generation, vehicle emissions, as well as natural sources like forest fires or sandstorms, pose serious health risks.
Only seven countries worldwide meet the air quality standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Finland's Kuusamo was named the city with the cleanest air quality globally. The Guardian highlights that air pollution-related consequences claim seven million lives annually, surpassing the combined toll of AIDS and malaria.
Despite Tajikistan's recurring presence in lists of countries with poor air quality, the country's Environmental Protection Committee believes its ecological situation is relatively better than other Central Asian nations. However, environmental activists argue that such reports may not fully depict the actual situation due to limited monitoring stations.
They emphasize the importance of considering the measurement methods, pointing out that relying on a single monitoring station, located in the US Embassy in Dushanbe, cannot accurately represent the air quality of the entire city, let alone the entire country.
