Despite the importance of the program, the US stopped collecting data through sensors that were placed in their embassies around the world
Only seven countries have managed to fulfill the air quality standards raised by the World Health Organization (WHO) last year, according to data released on Tuesday, with researchers warning that the war on air contamination would become even more difficult for US data to be released.
The Chand and Bangladesh They were the most contaminated countries in the world in 2024, as the average smog levels were 15 times above his instructions which, according to data compiled by the Swiss air -quality monitoring company, IQAIR.
Only Australiathe New Zealandthe Bahamasthe Barbadothe Grenadethe Estonia and the Iceland managed to find themselves below the limitaccording to IQAIR.
Significant gaps in data, especially in Asia and Africa, blur the global image and many developing countries have been based on air quality sensors located in US embassies and consulates to monitor their smog levels.
However, the State Department recently finished collection of this data, citing budget cuts, resulting in a 17 -year -old data being removed last week from the official US government’s air quality monitoring site, Airnow.gov.
The one constituted levels not greater than 5 micrograms per cubic meter, a standard that only met 17% of cities last year.
India is 12th in the most contaminated cities, with Byrnihat, in a heavily industrialized part of the northeast country, in the first place.
Climate change plays an increasing role in increasing pollution, with higher temperatures causing more intense and larger forest fires that swept sections of Southeast Asia and South America.
Christa Hassenkopov, director of the Clean Air program at the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute, said at least 34 countries would lose access to reliable pollution data after the closure of the US program.
The State Department’s plan improved the quality of air in the cities where the screens were placed, boosting life expectancy and even reducing danger benefits for US diplomats, Hassenkopov said.
“It’s a huge blow to efforts to air quality worldwide,” he said.
Source: Skai
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