Climate Adaptation
Two-Thirds of the World’s Most Polluted Cities Are in India
- India home to 14 of 20 of the planet’s most polluted cities
- WHO estimates dirty air kills around 7 million people a year
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Several Chinese cities, including Beijing, have dramatically improved their air quality in recent years, while Indian metropolises remain some of the world’s worst polluted, according to a new report.
Beijing -- once infamous for its toxic haze -- has reduced smog levels and dropped down a list of the world’s most polluted cities, falling to 199 from 84 three years before, according to the 2019 World Air Quality Report published Tuesday by IQAir AirVisual. In contrast, India still dominated its list of the smoggiest urban areas, accounting for 14 of the top 20.