World Air Quality Report 2024

World Air Quality Report 2024: India ranked as the fifth most polluted country in 2024, improving from third in 2023.

• About World Air Quality Report 2024: Published by Swiss air quality technology firm IQAir.

o 13 Indian cities in the top 20 most polluted cities: Byrnihat, Delhi, Mullanpur (Punjab), Faridabad, Loni, Gurugram, Ganganagar, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Muzaffarnagar, Hanumangarh, Noida.

o 35% of Indian cities reported PM2.5 levels exceeding 10 times the WHO limit of 5 µg/m³.

• Health Impact: Fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns, enters lungs and bloodstream, causing respiratory issues, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Reduces life expectancy by ~5.2 years.
• A Lancet Planetary Health study (2009–2019) estimated 1.5 million annual deaths in India due to prolonged PM2.5 exposure.