According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), it is possible to determine which are the cities with the most polluted air in the world. And at the same time, on the other end, the capitals with the cleanest air.
The AQI measures the level of atmospheric pollution, considering values from 0 to 500. The lowest figures imply cleaner and purer air, as opposed to the highest ones, which indicate higher pollution levels.
For the AQI, having a quality below 50 is considered “good air”. Meanwhile, above 300 is considered “dangerous air”.
Exposure to air pollution
High levels of air pollution have fatal consequences for the environment, as well as for human health and other living beings.
This way, the risk of respiratory infections increases, as well as heart diseases, strokes, lung cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
The three capitals with the cleanest air
1. Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo, capital of Japan. (Photo: Pixabay).
2. Prague, Czech Republic
Prague, Czech Republic.
3. Canberra, Australia
Canberra, Australia.
Atmospheric pollution: where there are more greenhouse gases
A NASA spy satellite recently published unprecedented data on atmospheric pollution. Tanager-1 measurements detected large columns of methane and carbon dioxide in countries and areas of the planet with incredible precision.
Specifically, the initial measurements detected methane columns in areas of Pakistan and Texas, United States, as well as a carbon dioxide column in South Africa.
As reported by NASA, all this data contributes to the organization’s goal of identifying and measuring emissions of greenhouse gases from point sources on a global scale and making that information accessible and processable.
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