Abuja, Nigeria, has been identified as the sixth capital city with the poorest air quality and highest levels of PM 2.5 pollution, according to a recent report by IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company renowned for its global air-sensor data collection.
The report, which highlights the most polluted and least polluted capital cities worldwide, identifies New Delhi, Dhaka, Ouagadougou, Dushanbe, and Baghdad as the top five cities with the worst air quality.
Conversely, capitals boasting the lowest concentrations of PM2.5 pollution include Wellington, Reykjavik, and Hamilton.
Why it matters
PM2.5 pollution, a common form of air pollution, has emerged as a significant health hazard, causing more fatalities than any other pollutant, as stated by Glory Dolphin Hammes, CEO of IQAir’s North American division.
- Sources of PM2.5 pollution vary widely, with fossil fuel combustion, such as coal, oil, and gas burning, being the predominant contributor.
- This pollution, responsible for over 4 million premature deaths annually worldwide, poses severe health risks, including cardiovascular ailments, strokes, and oxidative stress.
- Misbath Daouda, an expert in health equity and environmental justice at the University of California, Berkeley, emphasises the detrimental effects of PM2.5 pollution on human health, particularly its ability to penetrate the respiratory system and bloodstream.
- Furthermore, exposure to PM2.5 pollution has been linked to various illnesses, including Parkinson’s disease and cancer, and can impede brain development in young children.
Despite efforts by the World Health Organization to tighten pollution guidelines, PM2.5 pollution levels remain alarmingly high in many regions.
What you should know
IQAir’s comprehensive analysis blends data from governmental sources and lower-cost sensors to provide valuable insights into air quality.
- These sensors, while more affordable, offer essential information, especially in resource-constrained settings where deploying regulatory-grade monitors is impractical.
- While the report underscores the pervasive nature of PM2.5 pollution, it also acknowledges positive strides in air quality improvement, notably in countries like China, Chile, and South Africa.
