Bangladesh, Pakistan and India bottom in air quality rankings in 2023, data shows
SINGAPORE, March 19 (Reuters) – Pakistan remained one of the world’s three smoggiest countries in 2023, as Bangladesh and India replaced Chad and Iran, with particulate matter about 15 times the level recommended by the World Health Organization, data published on Tuesday showed. Average concentrations of PM2.5 – small airborne particles that damage the lungs – reached 79.9 micrograms per cubic metre in Bangladesh in 2023, and 73.7 micrograms in Pakistan. The WHO recommends no more than 5 micrograms. “Because of the climate conditions and the geography (in South Asia), you get this streak of PM2.5 concentrations that just skyrocket