Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Mongolia and Afghanistan in top 2020 ranking
PARIS (NUT DESK) – Twenty-two of the world´s more polluted cities are in India. Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Mongolia and Afghanistan topped the 2020 ranking, with average annual PM2.5 concentrations between 77 and 47 microgrammes per cubic metre (mcg/m3) of air. “Many parts of the world faced unprecedented but temporary improvements in air quality in 2020,” said a research report. Due to polluted environment average lifespan is cut 4.1 years in China, 3.9 years in India, and 3.8 years in Pakistan. In Europe, life expectancy is shortened by eight months. PM2.5 particles penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Deadly small particle pollution in dozens of nations exceeded World Health Organization recommendations last year despite Covid lockdowns, according to a report released Tuesday. The partial or complete shutdown of transport and industry for months at a time in 2020 reduced average levels of so-called PM2.5 pollution across the world, including in major cities, the IQAir quality report found. Concentrations of the life-shortening particles — cast off by traffic pollution and burning fossil fuels — dropped 11 percent in Beijing, 13 percent in Chicago, 15 percent in New Delhi, 16 percent in London, and 16 percent in Seoul.
