Air pollution
Dhaka air world’s most polluted for second consecutive day
Dhaka has topped the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality for the second consecutive day with an AQI of 176 at 8:58 am today (August 30, 2023).
The air was classified as 'unhealthy'.
An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' while 201-300 is 'very unhealthy', and 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing severe health risks to residents.
Dhaka’s air quality 4th worst in the world this morning
Indonesia’s Jakarta, India’s Kolkata and Pakistan's Lahore occupied the second, third and fourth spots on the list, with AQI scores of 163, 158 and 154, respectively.
The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.
The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.
Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
Dhaka's air quality still in 'moderate' range this morning
Bangladeshis, Indians, Nepalis and Pakistanis expected to live 5 years less due to air pollution: AQLI
Particulate air pollution remains the greatest external risk to human health, but most of its impact on global life expectancy is concentrated in just six countries, with Bangladesh being one of the most polluted in the world.
As global pollution edged upward in 2021, so did its burden on human health, according to new data from the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI).
If the world were to permanently reduce fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guideline, the average person would add 2.3 years onto their life expectancy—or a combined 17.8 billion life-years saved worldwide.
This data makes clear that particulate pollution remains the world’s greatest external risk to human health, with the impact on life expectancy comparable to that of smoking, more than 3 times that of alcohol use and unsafe water, and more than 5 times that of transport injuries like car crashes. Yet, the pollution challenge worldwide is vastly unequal.
Read: Urgent, coordinated actions needed to curb air pollution in South Asia: World Bank
In no other location on the planet is the deadly impact of pollution more visible than in South Asia, home to the four most polluted countries in the world and nearly a quarter of the global population.
In Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, the AQLI data reveal that residents are expected to lose about 5 years off their lives on average if the current high levels of pollution persist.
“Three-quarters of air pollution’s impact on global life expectancy occurs in just six countries, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, China, Nigeria and Indonesia, where people lose one to more than six years off their lives because of the air they breathe,” said Michael Greenstone, the Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in Economics and creator of the AQLI along with colleagues at the Energy Policy Institute in University of Chicago (EPIC).
For the last five years, the AQLI’s local information on air quality and its health consequences has generated substantial media and political coverage, but there is an opportunity to complement this annual information with more frequent—for example, daily—and locally generated data.
Read: Dhaka’s air pollution: HC asks what steps have been taken
Indeed, many polluted countries lack basic air pollution infrastructure. Asia and Africa are the two most poignant examples.
They contribute 92.7 percent of life-years lost due to pollution. Yet, just 6.8 and 3.7 percent of governments in Asia and Africa, respectively, provide their citizens with fully open air quality data.
Furthermore, just 35.6 and 4.9 percent of countries in Asia and Africa, respectively, have air quality standards—the most basic building block for policies.
The collective current investments in global air quality infrastructure also do not match where air pollution is having its greatest toll on human life. While there is a large global fund for HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis that annually disburses USD 4 billion towards the issues, there is no equivalent set of coordinated resources for air pollution.
Read: Air pollution 2nd biggest cause of deaths in Bangladesh in 2019, cost about 3.9-4.4% of GDP: World Bank
In fact, the entire continent of Africa receives under USD 300,000 in philanthropic funds towards air pollution (i.e. the current average price of a single-family home in the United States).
Only USD 1.4 million goes to Asia, outside of China and India. Europe, the United States, and Canada, meanwhile, receive USD 34 million, according to the Clean Air Fund.
“Timely, reliable, open air quality data in particular can be the backbone of civil society and government’s clean air efforts—providing the information that people and governments lack and that allows for more informed policy decisions,” said Christa Hasenkopf, the director of AQLI and air quality programs at EPIC.
“Fortunately, we see an immense opportunity to play a role in reversing this by better targeting—and increasing—our funding dollars to collaboratively build the infrastructure that is missing today,” she added.
Read: Effects of Air Pollution on Unborn Children, Neonates, Infants
China
Although the challenge of reducing air pollution across the world may seem daunting, China has had remarkable success, reducing pollution by 42.3 percent since 2013, the year before the country began a “war against pollution.”
Due to these improvements, the average Chinese citizen can expect to live 2.2 years longer, provided the reductions are sustained. However, the pollution in China is still six times higher than the WHO guideline, taking 2.5 years off life expectancy.
Southeast Asia
Like South Asia, almost all of Southeast Asia (99.9 percent) is now considered to have unsafe levels of pollution, with pollution increasing in a single year by as much as 25 percent in some regions. Residents living in the most polluted parts of Southeast Asia are expected to lose 2 to 3 years of life expectancy on average.
Central and West Africa
While Asian countries rightly receive the most media coverage about extreme levels of air pollution, the African countries of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Republic of Congo are amongst the ten most polluted countries in the world. In the most polluted areas of these regions, pollution levels are 12 times the WHO guideline and taking as much as 5.4 years off lives—becoming as much of a health threat as well-known killers in the region like HIV/AIDS and malaria.
Read: UN report: Climate pollution reductions 'highly inadequate'
Latin America
While average air quality is at an unsafe but relatively low level across the region, the most polluted areas—located within Guatemala, Bolivia, and Peru—experience air quality similar to pollution hotspots like Pune in India and Harbin in China. In these regions, the average resident would gain 3 to 4.4 years of life expectancy if their air quality met the WHO guideline.
United States
In the United States, Americans are exposed to 64.9 percent less particulate pollution than in 1970—prior to the passage of the Clean Air Act—and they’re living 1.4 years longer because of it. Yet, 96 percent of the country still doesn’t meet the WHO’s new guideline of 5 µg/m³. This year, the EPA proposed to lower the national standard from 12 μg/m³ to 9-10 µg/m³, gaining 3.2 million total life years if the upper limit of that proposed standard were met. In 2021, 20 out of the top 30 most polluted counties were in California due to the impact of wildfires.
Europe
In Europe, residents are exposed to about 23.5 percent less pollution than they were in 1998, soon after the Air Quality Framework Directive started, gaining 4.5 months of life expectancy because of it. Yet, 98.4 percent of Europe still doesn’t meet the WHO’s new guideline. In 2022, the EU proposed ratcheting down their standard of 25 µg/m³ to 10 µg/m³ by 2030, gaining 80.3 million total life years if the proposed standard were met. Residents in eastern Europe are living 7.2 months less than their western neighbors due to dirtier air.
Read more: 9-point directive on air pollution: HC asks DoE to submit report within 2 weeks
Dhaka's air tops world's most polluted list once again
Dhaka has once again topped the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality, with an AQI of 174 at 9:20 am today (August 29, 2023).
The air was classified as 'unhealthy', according to the air quality and pollution (city) ranking.
Read: Lack of awareness a serious risk on pollution: CPD
An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' while 201-300 is 'very unhealthy', and 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing severe health risks to residents.
The United Arab Emirates' Dubai and Indonesia's Jakarta occupied the second and third spots in the list, with AQI scores of 166 and 160, respectively.
The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.
Read: Urgent, coordinated actions needed to curb air pollution in South Asia: World Bank
The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues.
Read: Air pollution 2nd biggest cause of deaths in Bangladesh in 2019, cost about 3.9-4.4% of GDP: World Bank
As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
Dhaka’s air quality 4th worst in the world this morning
Dhaka's air quality was marked as 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' this morning (August 26, 2023). With an air quality index (AQI) score of 109 at 9:04 am, Dhaka ranked 4th on the list of cities worldwide with worst air quality, according to IQAir.
An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.
The United Arab Emirates’ Dubai, Indonesia’s Jakarta and China’s Wuhan occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 169, 137 and 133, respectively.
Dhaka's air quality remains in the 'moderate' range
An AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be 'poor', while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
In Bangladesh, the AQI score is based on five kinds of pollutants — particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Dhaka's air quality still in 'moderate' range this morning
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Dhaka's air quality remains in the 'moderate' range
Dhaka's air quality continued to be in the ‘moderate’ zone this morning.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 103 at 8:56 am, Dhaka ranked 9th on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.
The United Arab Emirates' Dubai, Indonesia’s Jakarta and Uganda’s Kampala occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 161, 156 and 141, respectively.
Dhaka's air quality 'unhealthy' yet again
An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’ with acceptable air quality. However, there may be a health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Thanks to rain, Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long grappled with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in the winter and improves during the monsoon.
Dhaka's air quality ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ this morning
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year.
Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning
Dhaka's air quality was in the ‘moderate’ zone this morning. With an air quality index (AQI) score of 87 at 9:05 am, Dhaka ranked 15th in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.
Iraq’s Baghdad, the United Arab Emirates’ Dubai and Kuwait’s Kuwait City occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 187, 177 and 170, respectively.
An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’ with an acceptable air quality. However, there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Dhaka's air quality remains in 'moderate' zone
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants — Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Dhaka’s air quality ‘moderate’ this morning
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year.
Thanks to monsoon, Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning
Dhaka's air quality in the 'moderate' zone this morning
Dhaka's air quality was in the ‘moderate’ zone this morning (August 19, 2023).
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 90 at 9:04 am, Dhaka ranked 16th on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.
Indonesia’s Jakarta, Pakistan’s Lahore and Iraq’s Baghdad occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 156, 139 and 134 respectively.
Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning
An AQI score between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’ with acceptable air quality. However, there may be a health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
AQI score between 150 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', and a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
Dhaka's air quality remains 'moderate'
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long grappled with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in the winter and improves during the monsoon.
Dhaka's air quality ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ this morning
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year.
Dhaka's air quality 'unhealthy' yet again
Dhaka's air quality was marked ‘unhealthy’ this morning.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 122 at 9:05 am, Dhaka ranked 11th on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.
The United Arab Emirates’ Dubai, Kuwait’s Kuwait City and Indonesia’s Jakarta occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 186, 162 and 158, respectively.
Continued rain keeps Dhaka's air quality ‘moderate’
An AQI between 101 and 150 is considered 'unhealthy', AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', and a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka's air quality ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ this morning
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.
Thanks to rain, Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Dhaka’s air second most polluted in the world this morning
Dhaka’s air ranked as the second most polluted in the world and was categorised as ‘unhealthy’ this morning.
Dhaka’s air quality index (AQI) score was 158 at 8:49 am today.
An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' while an AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be ‘very unhealthy’.
Iraq’s Baghdad and Indonesia’s Jakarta occupied the first and third spots on the list, with AQI scores of 174 and 158, respectively.
Thanks to rain, Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
Dhaka's air quality ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ this morning
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Continued rain keeps Dhaka's air quality ‘moderate’
The worsening air quality of Dhaka city is threatening the health status and life of its residents.
Dhaka’s air 5th most polluted in the world this morning
Dhaka’s air was ranked 5th most polluted among cities around the world this morning (August 14, 2023), according to the Air Quality Index (AQI).
The air in Dhaka city was categorised as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, with an AQI score of 136 at 8:30 am.
Uganda’s Kampala, United Arab Emirates’ Dubai, Kuwait’s Kuwait City and Indonesia’s Jakarta occupied the first four spots on the list, with AQI scores of 162, 159, 157 and 152 respectively.
Read: Thanks to rain, Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning
When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants — particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Read: Dhaka’s air unhealthy for sensitive groups this morning
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
Read more: Dhaka’s air 3rd most polluted in the world this morning