Ranked: Air Pollution by Economy

Written By Jenna Ross

Graphics & Design

• Sabrina Lam
• Alejandra Dander

Published March 7, 2023
•
Updated March 6, 2023
•

The following content is sponsored by The Hinrich Foundation

Ranked: Air Pollution by Economy

Global air pollution declined by 31% during the initial COVID-19 lockdowns, demonstrating a link between economic activity and air quality.

This graphic from The Hinrich Foundation, the fourth in a five-part series on the sustainability of trade, explores how air pollution varies by economy. It pulls data from the 2022 Sustainable Trade Index, which The Hinrich Foundation produced in collaboration with the IMD World Competitiveness Center.

What is Air Pollution?

In this dataset, air pollution is measured using fine particulate matter known as PM2.5. These particles are less than 2.5 microns in diameter, which is about 28 times smaller than the diameter of human hair. They are made up of things like combustion particles, compounds, and metals.

Not only does their presence cause the air to become hazy, they also pose the greatest health risk compared with any other pollutant. When they are inhaled into the lungs, they can cause respiratory diseases and even death. In fact, air pollution is one of the world’s leading risk factors for death, and is linked to 12% of deaths globally. 

A Geographic Breakdown of Pollution

Air pollution levels have a wide spectrum around the world. Countries with lower GDP per capita tend to have higher pollution because they have less stringent air quality regulations, congested transportation systems, and rapidly developing industrial sectors. They also prioritize basic necessities such as food and shelter. On the other hand, high income economies can afford cleanup technologies such as filters that trap airborne particles. 

The following table shows how air pollution breaks down for select economies that are covered in the 2022 Sustainable Trade Index. Numbers indicate micrograms of PM2.5 particles per cubic meter, with higher numbers indicating more pollution.

India has the most polluted air of the economies in the Sustainable Trade Index. As a developing country with a large population, there are multiple contributing factors. For instance, agricultural burning, biomass combustion for cooking, and vehicle emissions all worsen the problem. The country is also the second-largest consumer of coal, and lacks tight emission standards on industries such as metal smelters and oil refineries.

The Philippines has low air pollution relative to its GDP per capita. This could be because 34% of its energy comes from renewable sources. Notably, the Philippines has the third-highest geothermal power capacity in the world. However, the country still faces considerable pollution issues, primarily due to vehicle emissions.

Want more insights into trade sustainability?

Download the 2022 Sustainable Trade Index for free.

New Zealand has the least polluted air of the economies in the index. Its good air quality is thanks in part to its low population density and island geography. The country is also impacted by large scale wind patterns which promote westerly winds and aid in pollutant dispersion. In order to further reduce pollutants, New Zealand is requiring vehicles to meet stricter emission standards.

Economic Activity and Air Pollution

Air pollution has severe consequences for the environment and human health. It is worsened by aggressive industrialization and some commercial activities. In fact, it’s estimated that industry accounts for 12% of PM2.5 particles globally. Industrial dust, energy production, and transportation are also significant contributors.

Of course, air pollution is just one variable that can help determine an economy’s trade sustainability. The Sustainable Trade Index uses a number of other metrics to measure economies’ ability to trade in a way that balances economic growth, societal development, and environmental protection. To learn more, visit the STI landing page where you can download the report for free.

The fifth piece in this series will introduce an upcoming report on the state of global carbon markets.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Subscribe to our free newsletter and get your mind blown on a daily basis: *Sign up

Related Topics: #air quality #air pollution #sustainable trade #Hinrich Foundation #trade sustainability #pm2.5

Click for Comments

var disqus_shortname = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com";
var disqus_title = "Ranked: Air Pollution by Economy";
var disqus_url = "https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/ranked-air-pollution-by-economy/";
var disqus_identifier = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com-155774";

You may also like

• 

  Energy4 hours ago

  Mapped: Asia’s Biggest Sources of Electricity by Country

  Asia is on its way to account for half of the world’s electricity generation by 2025. How is this growing demand currently being met?

• 

  Money14 hours ago

  Ranked: Who Are the Richest People in Africa?

  This infographic ranks the wealthiest 15 billionaires on the African continent.

• 

  Markets16 hours ago

  Visualized: The State of the U.S. Labor Market

  The U.S. labor market is remarkably strong, with a 3.4% unemployment rate. Which sectors are seeing the highest job gains in 2023?

• 

  Energy5 days ago

  Which Countries are Buying Russian Fossil Fuels?

  While Russia still makes billions from fossil fuel exports, revenues are declining. Here are the largest importers since the start of the invasion.

• 

  Money6 days ago

  Visualized: The Most (and Least) Expensive Cities to Live In

  From New York to Damascus, this infographic uses EIU cost of living data to rank the world’s most and least expensive cities to live in

• 

  Markets7 days ago

  Visualizing the Global Share of U.S. Stock Markets

  Despite having 4% of the world’s population, the value of U.S. equities still make up over 40% of the global total.

Subscribe

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join the 380,000+ subscribers who receive our daily email *Sign Up

The post Ranked: Air Pollution by Economy appeared first on Visual Capitalist.