Here are the top countries with the cleanest air
Air pollution is a global concern as an estimated 7 million premature deaths are caused by air pollution every year. Many other diseases including reduced lung growth and function, respiratory infections, and aggravated asthma are associated with air pollution.
The World Health Organisation has set air quality guidelines intended to provide limit values for specific air pollutants to help countries achieve air quality. The current recommended level in micrograms is 5. Here are 4 countries meeting these guidelines currently.
Iceland
Iceland meets the World Health Organisation’s annual air quality guideline value. Located in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, the country is surrounded by oceans that make the region very windy. It is considered part of the reasons for the country’s clean air quality. Iceland has a quality index of (4µg/m3), which qualifies it as part of the countries that meet Swiss Air quality organisation AirIQ’s safe guideline of five micrograms per cubic meter of air or less. The Environment Agency which monitors air quality in the country indicates that some pollutants exceed the reference limits at certain times of the year. Windy days sometimes result in heavy particulate pollution in areas including South Iceland but generally, air quality is considered good in the country.
Estonia
Estonia is among the countries with the cleanest air quality globally. According to the World Health Organisation, Estonia comes second in the ranks in Europe behind Iceland and before Finland, having met the guidelines of five micrograms of fine particulate matter per cubic metre of air. Estonia records 4.7µg/m3 as its air quality index.
Finland
Finland’s air quality of (4.9µg/m3) places it third in the ranks as a country with good air quality. Although concentrations of pollutants occasionally rise to harmfully high levels in the country, the measured air quality overall makes air quality good in the country. WHO data shows that almost all of the global population (99%) breathes air that exceeds the guideline limits.
Australia
Australia has lower levels of air pollution compared with other countries but higher pollution levels compared to the other three countries. With an air quality record of (5µg/m3), the country is considered one with very good air quality levels. Levels of pollution however vary owing to other factors including bushfires and dust storms in the country. All levels of government play a role in managing Australia's air quality.
