Global Air Quality plummets: Only 7 countries had healthy air quality in 2023

According to the findings from IQAir, a Swiss company specializing in air quality technology, just seven nations adhered to the WHO's yearly PM2.5 guideline while only 9% of cities worldwide had air quality within the limit set by WHO. (NYT photo)

Mauritius, situated in the Indian Ocean, is renowned for its stunning beaches, lagoons and vibrant reefs. It was ranked 2^nd in the 2023 cleanest countries in the world by IQAir closely trailing French Polynesia. (Image: X/@MauritiusGuide)

Iceland, situated in Europe, has a landscape marked by volcanoes, geysers, hot springs and lava fields. In 2023, IQAir ranked Iceland third among the world's cleanest countries. Despite occasional breaches of reference limits by certain pollutants, the overall air quality in Iceland is regarded as ‘good’. Weather conditions stand out as a primary contributor to these occasional exceedances of pollution limits. (Image: X/@iceland)

Grenada, situated in the West Indies, placed at 4 in the world’s cleanest countries ranking by IQAir. The PM2.5 levels in Grenada remained under the WHO's recommended limit. (Image: X/@grenadaexplorer)

In the World Air Quality Report 2023, New Zealand boasted an air quality score of 4.3 μg/m³ for fine particulate pollution. This positioned New Zealand alongside nations like Iceland and Estonia, renowned for their exceptionally clean air. In 2023, New Zealand secured the 6th spot among the world's cleanest countries. (Image: X/@PureNewZealand)

Australia is one of the seven countries within the PM2.5 limits set by WHO. It enjoys one of the world's cleanest air qualities, apart from occasional spikes in pollution due to factors like bushfires and dust storms. In the World Air Quality Report by IQAir, Australia ranked within the top 10 cleanest countries. The countrywide average PM2.5 level stood at 8.0 μg/m3, weighted by population. (PTI photo)

Estonia, situated in Northern Europe, shares borders with the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland. With over 1,500 islands, its landscape varies from rocky shores to ancient forests and numerous lakes. In the IQAir rankings, Estonia was placed as the 9th cleanest country globally. (Image: X/@Work_in_Estonia)

In early 2021, Finland boasted ‘Good air quality, registering a US AQI of merely 23, as per the World Health Organization's standards. It was ranked at 125 out of 134 cities in the most polluted major cities in IQAir 2023 rankings. (Image: X/@OurFinland)​