Global Report Reveals Alarmingly Low Transparency in Air Quality Data Amid Growing Health Crisis

The report, Open Air Quality Data: The Global Landscape 2024, sheds light on the urgent need for improved monitoring and open access to air pollution data, a critical step toward addressing the world’s largest environmental health risk.

Air Pollution: A Leading Cause of Early Deaths

Air pollution, primarily driven by fossil fuel emissions, is responsible for over 8 million premature deaths annually, surpassing the health impacts of smoking, high alcohol use, road traffic injuries, and HIV/AIDS combined. The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) reports that the effect of air pollution on global life expectancy rivals that of smoking, underlining its devastating toll on public health.

“Billions of people do not know what they are breathing,” said Dr. Colleen Rosales, OpenAQ’s Strategic Partnership Director. “Transparent air quality data is essential for scientific research, policy development, and empowering communities to demand change.”

A Global Gap in Monitoring and Transparency

The report categorizes countries into four groups based on their air quality monitoring programs and data transparency. Alarmingly, over one-third of countries lack an air quality monitoring program altogether, leaving nearly 1 billion people unaware of the pollutants they breathe daily.

Even among countries with monitoring programs, only 27% share their data openly and transparently, creating a significant barrier to addressing air pollution effectively. Without accessible, accurate data, governments and stakeholders cannot make informed decisions to mitigate pollution or enforce regulatory policies.

Countries Making Progress

Despite the grim outlook, the report highlights progress by 30 countries that have improved their air quality data transparency since 2022. Eleven countries—Cabo Verde, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, the Netherlands, Peru, South Africa, and Uganda—achieved full data transparency during this assessment cycle, demonstrating leadership in the global fight for clean air.

“We applaud these nations for stepping up,” said Chris Hagerbaumer, Executive Director of OpenAQ. “Their efforts show that transparency is achievable and serves as a foundation for collaborative action.”

The Role of Open Data in Tackling Air Pollution

OpenAQ’s findings emphasize the importance of accessible air quality data in driving collaborative efforts to combat pollution. Open data invites contributions from civil society, academia, and the private sector, fostering innovative solutions to this global health crisis.

“Open data spurs collaboration, enabling a global community of changemakers to contribute expertise and resources to address air pollution,” added Hagerbaumer.

Recommendations for Action

To accelerate progress, the report calls for increased philanthropic support and international development aid to enhance air quality monitoring systems. It also recommends that funding agreements include conditions for data transparency, ensuring that governments prioritize open access to air quality information.

The report highlights the need for a multi-stakeholder approach involving public, private, and civil society actors to tackle air pollution. This includes raising awareness, addressing pollution sources, and ensuring transparent and accessible air quality data.

A Call to Action

As air pollution continues to shorten lives and exacerbate health inequalities, the call for transparent air quality monitoring has never been more urgent. OpenAQ’s report serves as a stark reminder of the work that remains to achieve clean air for all.

“Governments cannot solve this problem in isolation,” said Rosales. “We need a united effort to address air inequality and create a world where everyone has access to clean air.”

The full report, Open Air Quality Data: The Global Landscape 2024, is available on OpenAQ’s website.

About OpenAQ

OpenAQ is a nonprofit organization that aggregates and harmonizes air quality data from sources worldwide, offering it freely on an open-source platform. By empowering researchers, advocates, and policymakers with data, OpenAQ aims to eliminate air inequality and drive action for clean air and climate change.