Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Israeli aircraft targeted the port of Hodeidah, western Yemen, with 12 airstrikes
Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree: Our air defenses are currently engaging Israeli aircraft that are launching an aggression against our country
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli raids target the port of Hodeidah
IOF issues evacuation order for neighborhoods in Hodeidah, Yemen.
Rubio: 'Very short window', maybe days, for Hamas to accept deal
Al Mayadeen correspondent to southern Lebanon: Israeli warplanes launched a raid on the Ksar Zaatar neighborhood in western Nabatieh.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The tower destroyed by the Israeli occupation in Gaza includes media offices, including Al Mayadeen's bureau.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Four fetuses and three premature babies died at Nasser Medical Complex due to malnutrition
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.

13 countries exclusively had 'healthy' air quality in 2022: CNN

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 14 Mar 2023 22:13
3 Min Read

The report by IQAir found that 90% of the countries and territories that were analyzed exceeded the air quality guidelines set by the World Health Organization.

  • x
  • The City of London financial district is seen from Primrose Hill as high air pollution obscures the skyline over London April 10, 2015. (Reuters)
    The city of London's financial district is seen from Primrose Hill as high air pollution obscures the skyline over London on April 10, 2015. (Reuters)

Only 13 countries and territories had "healthy" air quality last year, according to a new report, surging alarming levels of air pollution in 2022.

The report by IQAir, a company that tracks air quality worldwide, found that 90% of the countries and territories which were analyzed exceeded the air quality guidelines set by the World Health Organization; the guideline was set to aid governments craft regulations and to protect public health.

Upon analyzing the average air quality from 131 countries and territories, IQAir found that only six countries and seven territories met the WHO air quality guidelines. The countries were found to be Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, and New Zealand. The territories in the Pacific and Caribbean included Guam and Puerto Rico.

Seven countries showed to have poor air quality that far exceeded  WHO guidelines. The countries are Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Kuwait, and India.

The study focused on finding a particulate matter, PM2.5, the tiniest pollutant, yet the most dangerous. PM2.5 travels deep into lung tissues where it can enter the bloodstream when inhaled.

Tightening guidelines

Related News

WHO vows to stay in Gaza, appalled by 'Israel’s' evacuation order

Jewish health professionals condemn silence over Gaza

Back in September 2021, WHO tightened its annual air pollution guidelines by cutting a big amount of fine particulate matter from 10 to 5 micrograms per cubic meter.

Almost 4.2 million premature deaths were associated with fine particulate matter in 2016, according to the UN agency. Had the latest tightening of annual air pollution guidelines taken place earlier, WHO found that almost 3.3 million would have survived the pollution-related deaths. 

Read more: Air pollution particles detected in lungs, brains of fetuses: Study

The report also highlights the lack of monitoring stations in developing countries in Africa, South America, and the Middle East; this results in a dearth of air quality data in these specific regions.

Despite improvements being witnessed in Africa compared to that of 2021, the continent still largely remains underrepresented as only 19 out of 54 African countries had sufficient data available from their monitoring stations. 

CEO of IQAir North America, Glory Dolphin Hammes, stated that every time it adds a new country that once lacked air quality data, the country eventually winds up at the top of the most-polluted list.

“If you look at what’s called satellite or modeled data, Africa is supposed to be probably the most polluted continent on the planet, but we don’t have enough data,” Hammes told CNN. “What that means is there’s a whole lot more data that are needed in order for us to truly determine what are the most polluted countries and cities in the world.”

Hammes emphasized that governments are investing in instruments that fail to accurately measure fine particulate matter in the air. 

Read next: Fossil fuel 'addiction' starving, killing millions: Report

  • Air pollution
  • World Health Organization
  • air quality
  • IQAir

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

American far-right activist Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
A screengrab from the ad played on Fox News. (X Screengrab)

Fox airs ad warning Trump not to let Netanyahu 'play' him on Gaza

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
'Israel’s' Qatar strike backfires, fueling diplomatic fallout
Politics

'Israel’s' Qatar strike backfires, fueling diplomatic fallout

'Israel' committing genocide in Gaza, UN Commission declares
Politics

'Israel' committing genocide in Gaza, UN Commission declares

Rubio supports Gaza offensive, warns few days left for diplomacy
Palestine

Rubio supports Gaza occupation, warns of tight window for deal

US adds Colombia to drug list, drawing Petro’s rebuke
Politics

US adds Colombia to drug list, drawing Petro’s rebuke

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS