India’s capital Delhi is the most polluted city in the world, with life expectancy cut by almost ten years due to air contamination, an air quality life index (AQLI) study published by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) has concluded.
The index calculates the impact on life expectancy from particulate air pollution.
On average, Delhi's levels of fine particulate matter (PM) 2.5 have been measured to be between 107 - 200 μg/m3, around 20 and 40 times the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe limit of 5 μg/m3, respectively.
PM 2.5 is a tiny particulate matter made of toxic substances that settles deep in ones lungs and other organs, beating the body's defences.
Likewise, the AQLI report stressed that "particulate air pollution takes 2.2 years off global average life expectancy, or a combined 17 billion life years". Its impact on life expectancy is comparable to that of smoking, more than three times that of alcohol use and unsafe water, six times that of HIV/AIDS, and 89 times that of conflict and terrorism, the report added.
Most of South Asia breathes poor air, with people’s life expectancy reduced as a result.
Bangladesh ranks first in the report’s list, with life expectancy reduced by 6.9 years in 2020 due to poor air quality. It is followed by India, where the life expectancy has declined by five years, Nepal (4.1 years) and Pakistan (3.8 years).