Delhi tops pollution charts for the 6th year, cutting India’s life expectancy by 5 years, says report
Delhi remains the world’s most polluted capital for the sixth year, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 91.8 µg/m³, according to the 2024 World Air Quality Report. Despite a slight improvement, pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR) continues to pose serious health risks.
India ranks as the fifth most polluted country, recording an average PM2.5 level of 50.6 µg/m³, ten times higher than WHO’s safe limit. The report highlights that air pollution reduces life expectancy in India by 5.2 years.
Among the world’s 20 most polluted cities, 13 are in India. Byrnihat, on the Assam-Meghalaya border, tops the list, followed by Faridabad, Loni, Gurgaon, Noida, and Central Delhi. South Asia dominates the list, with six Indian cities ranking among the world’s nine most polluted.
The report relies on data from over 40,000 air quality monitoring stations across 138 countries. It reveals that 91% of countries exceed WHO’s safe air pollution limits. In the U.S., Los Angeles and Ontario, California, record the highest pollution levels. In Africa, data scarcity remains a challenge, with only one monitoring station per 3.7 million people.
Although Delhi’s air quality has slightly improved, pollution in NCR remains hazardous. Without stronger measures, India’s air pollution crisis will continue affecting health and life expectancy.
