In this article, we look at the 30 most polluted countries in the world heading into 2024. You can skip our detailed analysis on corporations that have committed themselves to tackling pollution and head over directly to the 10 Most Polluted Countries in the World Heading into 2024.
While humanity has progressed immensely over this past century, it has not come without a cost. With approximately 100,000 daily flights ferrying passengers over the skies, 1.5 billion cars on the road, and uncountable numbers of products churned out of factories each day, the standard of living has certainly risen – but with it, so have global carbon emissions. A report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in March last year stated that carbon emissions rose 0.9% in 2022 to reach an all-time high of 36.8 Gt.
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, vehicle emissions, by-products of manufacturing, fuels from chemical production, coal power plants, and use of natural gas to heat homes are the primary sources of human-induced air pollution, and subsequently these contribute to global warming. A report in Reuters last year highlighted that 98% of the world’s population got exposed to global warming between June and September 2023.
Several large corporations have in recent years taken measures to control pollution and protect the environment. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) in 2020 announced that it would purchase credits for sustainable aviation fuel from SkyNRG to reduce pollution caused by its employees’ commercial flights. Business travel accounted for 3% of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s carbon emissions in 2019. The plan involved Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) buying credits from SkyNRG and supplying it to Alaska Airlines to operate flights between Seattle and San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles.
Last year in September, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) announced an investment in direct air capture (DAC) technology, which cleans the atmosphere from emissions. The company said it will purchase 250,000 tonnes of removal credits from 1PointFive’s DAC plant in Texas over the next 10 years. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) believes this decision will contribute towards meeting its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2040. While Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) did not reveal the financial aspects of the investment, a news story in Reuters quoting developers of DAC technology reported that these removal credits cost in the range of mid-to-high-triple digits per metric tonne.
Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) has also aligned its offerings with environmental needs. In 2018, the company announced that it was pivoting from taxis to scooters and e-bikes, with a key focus on sustainability. During the same year, Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) launched e-bikes in the United States, and also acquired JUMP, a bike-sharing startup, for $200 million. Two years later in 2020, the company invested $170 million in Lime, an electric scooter company.
After successfully launching e-bikes in Europe and North America, Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) entered African markets in August 2023, starting with its electric motorbike service in Kenya, which resulted in its stocks gaining 3.7% over the next two months according to NASDAQ. You can read more on this in our article on the 20 Most Bicycle-Friendly Countries in the World.
30 Most Polluted Countries in the World Heading into 2024
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Methodology
We have ranked the most polluted countries in the world by using two metrics – air pollution and water quality. Data for air pollution has been sourced from our article, 30 Most Air Polluted Countries in the World, whereas the 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) was considered for water quality levels with respect to drinking and sanitation.
After seeing how each country ranked on both of these metrics, we averaged their rankings. Suppose, a country ranked as the most (1st) polluted country in terms of air quality and ranked 3rd when it came to water pollution, it received a score of 2 (1+3 divided by 2). Countries are listed in this article in descending order of their average ranking scores.
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Let’s now head over to the list of the most polluted countries in the world.
30. Guatemala
Score: 37.5
Guatemala is one of the most polluted countries in the world, with solid waste management being a serious environmental issue, and its water bodies also exhibiting high levels of pollution.
29. Iran
Score: 37
Air pollution is a chronic problem in Iran, where its capital Tehran is among the most polluted cities in the world. According to IQAir, Iran ranks as the 21st most polluted country in terms of air quality with an PM2.5 concentration of 32.5 μg/m³. Much of this is attributed to emissions from millions of old cars on the road, as well as smoke from factories and power plants.
28. Peru
Score: 36.5
Peru is among the most polluted countries in Latin America, with pollution levels being particularly high in urban centers such as Lima. The country ranks 103rd in the world when it comes to water quality, with an EPI score of 43/100 according to the Environmental Performance Index.
27. Uzbekistan
Score: 34
Uzbekistan is the 20th most polluted country in the world based on air quality, according to IQAir, with a PM2.5 concentration of 33.5 μg/m³. It ranks 77th globally for sanitation and drinking water.
26. Bahrain
Score: 32.5
Bahrain has the fourth worst air quality in the world, with a PM2.5 concentration of 66.6 μg/m³. Much of its air problem is owed to sandstorms and the high use of private vehicles. The country fares much better when it comes to water quality and has an EPI score of 56.6 out of 100.
25. Mongolia
Score: 32
The annual PM2.5 concentration in Mongolia of 29.5 μg/m³ is more than five times higher than WHO’s recommended levels. One of the major reasons why Mongolia ranks among the most polluted countries in the world is the reliance on coal as the primary fuel for urban heating.
24. Kyrgyzstan
Score: 31
Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek was ranked as the second most polluted city in the world in 2022, after which the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) urged the country to move away from coal towards more energy-efficient alternatives. Kyrgyzstan also ranks low on water quality, with an EPI of 45.5 out of 100.
23. Myanmar
Score: 29
Myanmar is Southeast Asia’s most polluted country with a PM2.5 concentration of 24.3 μg/m³. According to the Air Quality Life Index 2022, life expectancy in Myanmar would increase by 2.7 years if the country was to reduce pollution levels to meet WHO’s pollution guidelines of 5 µg/m³.
22. South Africa
Score: 27.5
South Africa has the 16th highest level of water pollution in the world. According to a report, 46% of the country’s water supply systems are contaminated by bacteria and sewage, and do not meet microbiological standards. A primary reason behind this is industrial waste getting dumped into rivers.
21. Senegal
Score: 27
Senegal is one of the most polluted countries in the world. According to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), the country ranks seventh on water pollution. On the other hand, it is the 47th most polluted country in terms of air quality with a PM2.5 concentration of 20.4 μg/m³.
20. Gabon
Score: 26
The primary causes of pollution in Gabon range from carbon emissions from vehicles, construction, factories and burning stubble, to the release of harmful gasses from cooking fuels. The air quality in the country starts to deteriorate in October, with winters being the worst-hit season in Gabon in terms of air pollution.
19. Indonesia
Score: 24
Indonesia is the 26th most polluted country in the world in terms of air quality, with a PM2.5 concentration of 30.4 μg/m³. In August 2023, Jakarta became the most polluted city in the world for a brief period of time. The country does not fare any better in water quality either, ranking 125th when it comes to clean drinking water and sanitation.
18. Iraq
Score: 23.5
Pollution is a serious environmental issue in Iraq. The war-torn country is the second most polluted country in the world in terms of air quality, and is only next to Chad, with a staggeringly high PM2.5 concentration of 80.1 μg/m³.
17. Laos
Score: 23
According to a report, nearly 10,000 people die in Laos every year from causes related to pollution, of which 44% are linked to household air pollution. The country has a PM2.5 concentration of 27.6 μg/m³, while it is the 17th worst country for water quality with an EPI of 26.5 out of 100.
16. Zambia
Score: 21
Zambia is one of the most polluted countries in the world. A vast majority of the population in the country relies on firewood and charcoal for cooking food and heating, which is a contributing factor in the pollution over there. Zambia ranks as the eighth worst country in terms of water quality as well with an EPI of just 13.4 out of 100.
15. Ghana
Score: 20.5
Ghana’s water bodies exhibit a high level of pollution. The air quality in the African country also remains poor with a PM2.5 concentration of 30.2 μg/m³.
14. Madagascar
Score: 19.5
About one in three people in Madagascar experience premature death due to pollution. It has the third highest water pollution level in the world, with an EPI of just 5.9 out of 100.
13. Egypt
Score: 18.5
Egypt is one of the most polluted countries in the world. Due to its close proximity to desert regions, the country receives a large portion of dust from surrounding areas. According to IQAir, the air quality in Egypt is between 10-100 times more polluted than the global acceptable standards with levels varying throughout the year.
12. Tajikistan
Score: 17
Tajikistan is the tenth most polluted country in the world in terms of air quality, with a PM2.5 concentration of 46 μg/m³. The country ranks low when it comes to clean water and sanitation as well, with an EPI of 30.9 out of 100.
11. Nepal
Score: 16.5
Pollution levels have been deteriorating in the landlocked South Asian country, Nepal. In April 2023, its capital Kathmandu was the most polluted city in the world for about a week. Nepal has a PM2.5 concentration of 40.1 μg/m³, and an EPI score for water quality of 27 out of 100.
