“The link between Covid-1 and air pollution has shed new light in the latter part, especially in many places where air is clearly monitored – showing that immediate, collective action can improve air quality,” the report said. Stated.
Researchers from global air quality data and tech company IQR analyzed pollution data from 106 countries, specifically measuring PM2.5 is a microscopic pollutant that can pose serious health risks.
Singapore, Beijing and Bangkok – The biggest drop in PM2.5 was in all of these circuit-breaker downfalls and the imposition of widespread trade closures. But that effect will not last: air pollution levels are likely to rise as Covid-19 content measures expire and businesses resume, the report said.
Overall, South Asian and East Asian locations top the list of the world’s most polluted destinations, the report found. Bangladesh, China, India and Pakistan account for 49 of the 50 most polluted cities globally.
Houghton is an Oasis city in the western Xinjiang region of China, which was ranked as the most polluted city in the world in 2020. Its annual level of PM2.5 averages 110.2 micrograms per cubic meter, 11 times higher than the World Health Organization’s target for annual exposure. At the peak of Hotton, those levels reached 264.4 in March – deep in the “dangerous” area.
Xinjiang has seen a rapid increase in coal and fossil fuel emissions, the report said. Drought has also increased due to human-caused soil erosion and climate change, producing more frequent sandstorms and dust storms that contribute to heavier pollution.
China is also the world’s largest producer and consumer of coal, a major contributor to PM2.5 pollution. The country is booming in renewable energy – but these sources account for only 23% of China’s energy consumption, while coal accounts for 58%.
After Hotan, the next 13 most polluted cities are all in India, where the main sources of pollution include transportation, construction and waste incineration.
In the country’s northern Punjab and Haryana provinces, farmers are also practicing belt burning – deliberately setting fire to cultivated fields to prepare the ground for their next crop. In 2012, the incidence of stone burning in Punjab reached a record level, which is an increase of 46.5% as compared to 2019. The report states that the capital Delhi accounts for about 0% of air pollution.
The global decline in human-related emissions in 2020 was also offset by “extreme air pollution events” such as wildfires and dust storms, which are associated with a growing climate crisis and unpredictable weather around the world.
Wildfires ravaged the United States, Australia, Australia, South America, Indonesia, and more – leading to a sharp rise in air pollution and large emissions of greenhouse gases. Sao Paulo, Los Angeles and Melbourne – all affected by severe wildfires – saw the largest increase in PM2.5 levels since 2019.
But there are also bright spots. The 25 most polluted cities in South Asia have seen a drop in PM 2.5 either. Showed an overall downward trend from 2019, or over the past four years. East Asian countries have also made efforts to improve air quality, and PM2.5 levels in the region generally tend to be downward. In South Korea, all cities saw an improvement in their air quality in 2020, after new measures were taken to control the seasonal impact of coal on air pollution.
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