Swiss tech company IQAir has published the Global Air Quality Report for 2023, assessing PM2.5 pollution levels in 7812 cities across 134 countries. Experts analyzed data from over 30,000 monitoring stations.
In Uzbekistan, air quality was only studied in Tashkent. According to IQAir, the annual average PM2.5 concentration in the capital was 28.6 µg/m3, exceeding WHO recommendations by 5-7 times.
Tashkent ranks 22nd in the list of world capitals with the most polluted air, categorized as 'red' due to harmful air quality.
The top 5 most polluted capitals include New Delhi (India) at 92 µg/m3, Dhaka (Bangladesh) at 80.2 µg/m3, Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) at 46.6 µg/m3, Dushanbe (Tajikistan) at 46 µg/m3, and Baghdad (Iraq) at 45.8 µg/m3.
In 2023, air in only seven capital cities met WHO standards (5 µg/m3), including Puerto Rico, New Zealand, Australia, Iceland, Bermuda, Estonia, and Finland.
PM2.5 concentration refers to the amount of fine aerosol particles with a diameter of up to 2.5 microns, a key air quality indicator. Due to their tiny size, these particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, causing heart diseases and other health complications.
PM2.5 particles often result from burning fossil fuels, vehicle emissions, industrial and power plant discharges, as well as natural sources like wind-blown dust.
