Only 13 countries in the world breathe safe air. Three of them are in Europe India is home to the world’s most polluted city, according to IQAir’s newly released World Air Quality Report. Only 14 percent of cities worldwide breathe safe air, a decline from 17 percent in the previous year. The Swiss pollution monitoring company IQAir analyzed data from 9,446 cities across 143 countries, regions, and territories for its 2025 report. The findings reveal a global decline in air quality, driven largely by human-caused climate change. Wildfire smoke, dust storms, and extreme weather events intensified by fossil fuel use were key contributors to poor air quality in 2025. In Europe, the worst wildfire year on record saw blazes sweep across the continent, peaking in August with devastating impacts on farms, woodlands, and homes. The extreme weather caused at least €43 billion in short-term economic losses, fueled by deadly heatwaves, floods, and droughts. The World Health Organization (WHO) sets safe limits for PM2.5, fine particulate matter that poses serious health risks. These microscopic particles, smaller than 2.5 micrometers, can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, linking to respiratory issues, cardiovascular diseases, and long-term illnesses like cancer. Only three European countries met the WHO’s annual PM2.5 guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) in 2025: Andorra, Estonia, and Iceland. These nations, along with 10 other territories globally, are among the 13 countries and regions that remained within safe limits. The remaining 130 countries—91 percent of the total—did not meet the guidelines. The five most polluted countries were Pakistan (67.3 µg/m³), Bangladesh (66.1 µg/m³), Tajikistan (57.3 µg/m³), Chad (53.6 µg/m³), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (50.2 µg/m³).#world_health_organization #estonia #iqair #andorra #iceland
