World air quality report: South Africa's air 'a mixed bag' - IQAir CEO
How 'clean' is the air we breathe? The report reveals that only 10 countries breathe clean air.
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Crystal Orderson speaks to IQAir CEO, Glory Dolphin Hamme whose company recently released the latest world air report.
We inhale and exhale daily but have you ever stopped to ask yourself: how clean is the air we're breathing?
There's an answer.
Since 2018, Swiss company IQAir, has released a world air quality report that monitors real-time air quality around the world.
According to the 2023 World Air Quality Report published on Tuesday,12 March, by IQAir, only 10 countries had air quality that met the World Health Organization’s standard for clean air last year.
IQAir used as its primary indicator of each country or territory’s air quality the average concentration of PM2.5, or particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller, measured across cities with publicly-available data.
PM2.5 is a harmful component of air pollution that comes from a variety of sources, including emissions from coal and oil burning as well as dust storms and wildfires.
It's reported that air pollution is associated with an estimated seven million premature deaths each year.
WHO (World Health Organisation) guidelines recommend exposure to no more than an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 5 micrograms per cubic meter (5 µg/m3).
From the 134 countries observed, data from 7800 cities around the world were analysed, revealing five main insights:
- Asia is the world’s most polluted region
- Oceania is the world’s cleanest region
- Europe is the most improved region
- The Americas are the most monitored region
- Africa is the least monitored region
When it comes to South Africa, Hamme notes that South Africa is a 'mixed bag,' with some cities getting worse, and others getting better.'
The report also ranked the countries with the worst and cleanest air quality.
Countries with the worst air quality...
Country's ranked for the "worst air quality." - IQ Air Report
Countries with the cleanest air quality...
Country's ranked for the "cleanest air quality." - IQ Air Report
Hamme adds that air quality is often a 'hidden issue' with severe consequences.
"Poor air pollution can be responsible for poor quality of life, strokes, lung failure, cancer, dementia, depression and can have a greater impact sometimes than the food we eat because it's reaching every cell in our body."
- Glory Dolphin Hamme, CEO - IQAir
“A lack of air quality data delays decisive action and perpetuates unnecessary human suffering. Air quality data saves lives. Where air quality is reported, action is taken, and air quality improves.”
- Glory Dolphin Hamme, CEO - IQAir
Read the full world air report, here.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.