Delhi's PM2.5 Levels 18x Over WHO Limits, India Ranks 5th Globally

[{"selector":"#anim-f1d58c0f-eccf-4cde-a6e3-d1eb8c4387e9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6d05461a-5a3f-42f0-a48f-7eddbaeb966b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a73c8381-3424-4ef6-a52b-85522f9fe625","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e890e32-5691-4c54-b3b3-bd4c3996a061","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Delhi's PM2.5 Levels 18x Over WHO Limits, India Ranks 5th Globally Govind Tekale

India remains the fifth most polluted country globally with PM2.5 levels over 10 times the WHO safe limit, despite a 7% improvement from last year.

[{"selector":"#anim-2184d7be-b2f4-4b59-8211-4ebd7db02fe1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7e3ced1f-a24c-4ea3-8863-8a03e4ee7673","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-73b90e60-d23f-4b2d-a93d-92b64bc445e8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f376f132-fcac-4ba9-ba04-855f675a4b4f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c0a75fa-c62f-48b4-b310-02adb91b76ed","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - V.T Polywoda (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

New Delhi keeps its unwanted crown as the world's most polluted capital for seven consecutive years, with air nearly 18 times more toxic than WHO guidelines.

[{"selector":"#anim-6a148e3f-f593-4e28-af6b-78172c55f1dc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-28582f06-65ef-496a-8a3a-6d6d75b95031","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 162.72400%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a84fc87-a9ac-4052-911a-b9ab685ddbb0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a67eff8e-0516-4b38-a155-82575dd13380","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6972dab-9b93-440f-8ea1-a7e718c86b85","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - Evan Lovely (CC BY 2.0)

Six of the world's ten most polluted cities are in India, with industrial town Byrnihat in Meghalaya topping the list at a dangerous 128.2 µg/m³.

[{"selector":"#anim-a6d54a70-ef63-4bb8-b9fd-dd53ff80af68","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98e3d9ac-2039-4ca1-a508-3c1bbe6c73f6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dbbcd5ba-1ebf-405e-9c85-2bfbb6679421","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b1177430-1767-4591-820e-850983a1acd1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0b477bc-2be1-4b2b-abd5-82685bd47a51","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - Call 4 Org (Flickr)

Traffic jams, factory smoke, construction dust, and seasonal crop burning combine to create the perfect pollution storm across northern India.

[{"selector":"#anim-cf39ed1a-0e52-4288-a6ba-48cc8a8dde03","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c2aaebb-8b9b-4b63-83cd-275ad5349d9d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 162.72400%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-08fbd0d7-5b42-44a4-a8ec-b3f416d712ad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5f2ff39f-7a2a-4648-ae9d-c0519e4a1b51","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7cda1b17-c86b-4019-9ed6-6f7cb6bf7aa6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Long-term exposure to India's toxic air cuts life expectancy by 5.2 years, with pollution linked to 1.5 million deaths annually between 2009-2019.

[{"selector":"#anim-934db02c-005b-4633-aa9b-36632690f3a9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f6266023-61bb-4a03-a766-573236db000a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-48c118b4-c90e-4277-bcdf-c274d021fb7f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0d28bbbd-e493-48c7-975d-2bb25196b721","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6341e7d0-dfb4-4b71-9bdc-b706f3a43ca3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - Manuel Mascarilla de Oxigeno (Flickr)

India has stepped up monitoring with over 1,000 air quality stations, but even cities showing improvement still have pollution 5-7 times above safe levels.

[{"selector":"#anim-622caafe-4a2f-465a-a9f9-0918ce479937","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5c04a069-89ff-46dc-8a00-a13ec24ed377","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 162.72400%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-26c868e3-5777-44dc-8ad8-c3035e043887","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-71611753-2453-4170-9108-ca74bc9f7f6d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3730fa5c-2bc8-4ee7-ad9c-14ec177c7952","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - Hindi Water (Flickr)

Experts point to expanded public transportation as a critical solution, while the Supreme Court has declared breathing clean air a fundamental right.

[{"selector":"#anim-29fef9e8-05b0-4d83-8daf-0a73ccd396c1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-631293ce-07a5-4a42-bc7d-5097e30bf16f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0faa9e1b-681b-4fe9-97a5-1723513edacd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-904ef360-3b19-46c9-ac55-4aff3fe67133","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a8e4f49c-3559-477c-a712-ba83190d8d72","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - Balu Velachery (Flickr)

[{"selector":"#anim-c416f814-d2db-4e7b-bfed-189839fb27c6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-01c223e4-5197-4281-9b25-476ed4abcda6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-507c93f4-502d-4fc2-8737-d4effbd85194","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9fbaaddd-6361-4d7d-a41d-0338f4526f0a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b02a46fd-2f0a-484e-a896-1743ab1b5531","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] EPA, DOE Invest $850M in 43 Methane Reduction Projects Learn more