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Mapped: Air Pollution Levels Around the World in 2022

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Mapped: Air Pollution Levels Around the World in 2022

Mapped: Air Pollution Levels Around the World

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The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution leads to 7 million premature deaths every year.

Out of the six common air pollutants, particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns or smaller in diameter, or PM2.5, is accepted as the most harmful to human health. This is due to its prevalence in the atmosphere and the broad range of adverse health effects associated with its exposure, such as heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and chronic respiratory diseases.

With that context in mind, this visualization uses IQAir’s World Air Quality Report to map out the 2022 average PM2.5 concentrations in select major cities around the globe, expressed in micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³).

Understanding the WHO Air Pollution Guidelines

Did you know that in 2019, only 1% of the global population lived in places where WHO global air quality guidelines were met?

Designed to protect public health from the harmful effects of air pollution, the guidelines cover a range of air pollutants, including particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide.

The healthy limits for PM2.5 are set at an annual average of 0-5 μg/m³.

WHO Classification Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (μg/m³)% of countries within classification, 2022*
WHO Air Quality Guideline0 - 5 9.9%
Interim Target 45.1 - 10 18.3%
Interim Target 310.1 - 15 19.8%
Interim Target 215.1 - 25 28.2%
Interim Target 125.1 - 359.9%
Exceeds Target Levels 35.1 - 50 7.6%
Exceeds Target Levels> 50 6.1%

*Percentages are calculated as a proportion of the 131 countries that had sufficient air quality data and were included in IQAir’s World Air Quality Report in 2022.

According to IQAir’s World Air Quality Report, only 13 countries or territories met the recommended concentration of PM2.5 in 2022. Among them were Australia, Finland, Puerto Rico, Iceland, Bermuda, and Guam.

Above this guideline, many countries fell within the four interim targets, while nearly 14% recorded air pollution levels that exceeded all target levels.

The Effects of Air Quality on Mortality

While it can be a little difficult to grasp what the above concentrations represent, thinking of them in terms of their effect on mortality can shed some light on their significance.

According to the WHO, non-accidental mortality rates multiply by 1.08 per 10 µg/m³ increase in PM2.5 concentration, but only up to 35 μg/m³. Above that, mortality growth rates may not be linear, resulting in many more deaths.

Here is an example to highlight what that means.

  • Say that, for a population living within the WHO PM2.5 guideline, the non-accidental mortality rate is arbitrarily set to 100 deaths for a given period.
  • If this area’s PM2.5 concentration goes up to 10 μg/m³, putting them at Interim Target 4, they would see 104 deaths in that same amount of time.
  • At Interim Target 3, where their PM2.5 concentration would be 15 μg/m³, they would see 108 deaths.
  • At Interim Target 2, they’d see 117.
  • Finally, at Interim Target 1, they’d see 126.

Beyond Interim Target 1 (above 35 μg/m³), deaths would potentially grow much faster. As of 2022, around 14% of countries report levels above this threshold, including Chad, India, Pakistan, Qatar, and Nigeria.

The State of Air Pollution Around the World

While many cities in North America and Europe have seen steady and relatively lower PM2.5 concentrations during the last few years, many cities (especially those in Asia) have been making strides in lowering their air pollution levels.

Nonetheless, many of them still record PM2.5 concentrations that are more than six times the WHO guideline.

City2022 annual average PM2.5 concentration (μg/m³)2018 annual average PM2.5 concentration (μg/m³)
🇪🇬 Cairo, Egypt47.4N/A
🇮🇳 Mumbai, India46.758.6
🇦🇪 Dubai, UAE43.755.3
🇮🇩 Jakarta, Indonesia36.245.3
🇳🇬 Lagos, Nigeria36.1N/A
🇨🇳 Beijing, China29.850.9
🇵🇪 Lima, Peru25.628
🇲🇽 Mexico City, Mexico22.119.7
🇨🇳 Guangzhou, China21.333.2
🇵🇭 Manila, Philippines14.6N/A
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires, Argentina14.212.4
🇸🇬 Singapore, Singapore 13.314.8
🇮🇹 Rome, Italy12.6N/A
🇰🇪 Nairobi, Kenya11.5N/A
🇷🇺 Moscow, Russia10.810.1
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil10.6N/A
🇺🇸 Los Angeles, USA10.514.4
🇺🇸 New York, USA9.9N/A
🇬🇧 London, UK9.612
🇯🇵 Tokyo, Japan9.213.1
🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada8.57.8
🇨🇦 Vancouver, Canada7.6N/A
🇳🇴 Oslo, Norway6.98.2
🇿🇦 Cape Town, South Africa 6.7N/A
🇺🇸 Miami, USA 6.47.8
🇦🇺 Perth, Australia 4.9N/A
🇦🇺 Sydney, Australia3.17.6

Most parts of the world did not meet the annual WHO recommendation for clean and healthy air in 2022.

However, the cost of inaction toward cleaner air is very high. In addition to the millions of premature deaths each year, the global cost of health damages associated with air pollution currently sits at $8.1 trillion.

Unfortunately, things that are integral to our quality of life, such as industrial activities, transportation, energy production, and agricultural practices, are also the leading causes of air pollution around the world.

As such, a multi-faceted approach to lowering pollution is essential to protect lives, especially to benefit those already more vulnerable to poor air quality, such as kids and the elderly.

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Can We Close the $11 Trillion Climate Investment Gap?

$11 trillion needs to be invested in nature-based solutions between 2022 and 2050 to combat climate change.

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The following content is sponsored by Carbon Streaming Corporation

Can We Close the $11 Trillion Climate Investment Gap?

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) include actions to preserve or restore natural ecosystems to address social, economic, and environmental challenges effectively, while simultaneously providing benefits to the community. 

To achieve its goal of limiting climate change to below 1.5°C by 2050, the UN says that substantial investment in NbS needs to happen. The same investments will also help stop biodiversity loss and deliver land degradation neutrality.

This visualization, sponsored by Carbon Streaming Corporation, explores the investment requirements for various NbS sectors and highlights the critical role of protecting many ecosystems in achieving climate targets.

The Crucial Role of Ecosystem Protection

Terrestrial and marine ecosystems are invaluable when it comes to addressing climate change. They act as natural carbon sinks, effectively absorbing and storing approximately 40% of global carbon emissions. 

More specifically, the conservation and restoration of forests, wetlands, grasslands, coastal areas, seagrass, and peatlands is essential to keeping greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere. 

But to effectively combat climate change, the estimated cumulative investment required in nature-based solutions between 2022 and 2050 is $11 trillion

NbS Investment AreaCumulative Investment Required 2022-2050 (US$ Trillion)
Agroforestry$3.6 Trillion
Reforestation$3.4 Trillion
Restoration (Seagrass & Peatlands)$1.6 Trillion
Protection$1.3 Trillion
Other Land Management$1.1 Trillion

This investment will drive large-scale restoration, conservation efforts, sustainable land-use practices, and ecosystem protection.

A Closer Look at the Investment Gap

Currently, only 17% of NbS investment comes from private sources. However, the annual investment needs to increase fourfold by 2050, which amounts to $520 billion of additional annual NbS investment.

YearNbS Investment Required ($B per year)Increase from 2022
2022$154B-
2025$384Bx2
2030$484Bx3
2050$674Bx4

Collaboration between governments, the private sector, and international organizations is critical to mobilize resources, establish innovative financing mechanisms, and incentivize investments.

Benefits of NbS

Capital allocated to nature-based solutions not only helps combat climate change but also delivers a plethora of other benefits. For example, these solutions promote biodiversity conservation, enhance ecosystem services, support local communities, and foster sustainable development. 

Investment in this space is crucial to meeting the UN’s 2050 goals. By financing the creation or expansion of nature-based carbon projects, our sponsor, Carbon Streaming Corporation secures the rights to future carbon credits generated by these projects. 

Consumers and businesses can purchase these carbon credits to provide the necessary capital and immediate action needed to effectively combat climate change.

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Learn more about Carbon Streaming and how you can get involved now.

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