25/03/2024
2674 times read
25/03/2024
2674 times read
![](https://www.arabtimesonline.com/uploads/imported_images/2023/11/kuwait-city-1024x683.jpg)
KUWAIT CITY, March 25: In a recent report released by the Swiss organization "IQ Air," Kuwait emerged as the 11th country worldwide in terms of air quality, ranking 134 countries and regions based on air pollution levels with fine PM 2.5 particles. Meanwhile, Bangladesh topped the list as the most polluted country according to this indicator.
Within the Arab world, Kuwait secured the fourth spot on the list, following Iraq, the Emirates, and Egypt. Notably, only seven countries out of the 134 included in the report, including Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, and New Zealand, met the World Health Organization's guidelines for small airborne particles emitted by vehicles and industrial facilities.
In the context of global capitals, Kuwait City was ranked 13th among the world's capitals with air pollution attributed to PM 2.5 particles, trailing behind Baghdad and Cairo in the Arab region.
IQ Air emphasized that the majority of countries fall short of meeting the WHO standard for PM 2.5 particles, which are microscopic soot specks smaller than the width of a human hair.
While acknowledging the overall improvement in air quality globally over the past century, the organization cautioned that there are still areas where pollution levels pose significant risks.
Responding to a report circulated last September, the Environment Public Authority clarified that Kuwait does not top the world's air pollution rankings according to the IQAIR classification. The authority assured that dust concentration levels in the air align with national standards on most days, typically falling within the green (good) or yellow (acceptable) categories. It emphasized the transparent publication of air quality indicators, updated hourly for public access.
The authority emphasized the necessity of relying on scientific sources for assessing air quality, highlighting the importance of national standards tailored to each country's circumstances and geographic location, as opposed to commercial websites' classifications.