Particulate matter air pollution in cities around the world

Annual mean PM2.5 concentration, micrograms per cubic metre

Air quality classification

Extremely poor

Fair

Moderate

Poor

Very poor

London

Industrial

revolution

Clean Air

Act 1993

125

100

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1900

1940

1980

2020

Jakarta

Increased pollution

from industrialisation

100

100

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1900

1940

1980

2020

Islamabad

Elevated pre-industrial levels due to dust

Rapid

industrialisation

125

100

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1900

1940

1980

2020

Beijing

Rapid

industrialisation

PM2.5 reduced

after legislation

125

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1900

1940

1980

2020

Delhi

1956-61, second five-year

"rapid industrialisation" plan

125

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1900

1940

1980

2020

Air quality classification

Fair

Moderate

Poor

Very poor

Extremely poor

London

Industrial

revolution

Clean Air Act 1993 targets industrial & transport emissions

125

100

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

Jakarta

Increased pollution from industrialisation

125

100

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

Islamabad

Elevated pre-industrial levels due to natural dust

Rapid

industrialisation

125

100

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

Beijing

Rapid

industrialisation

PM2.5 reduced

after legislation

125

100

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

Delhi

1956-61, second five-year

"rapid industrialisation" plan

125

100

75

50

25

0

2000

1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2020

Air quality

classification

Fair

Moderate

Poor

Very poor

Extremely poor

London

125

Industrial revolution caused increased pollution

Frequent smog events

Clean Air Act 1993 targets industrial and transport emissions

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

Jakarta

125

Low pre-industrial concentrations

due to coastal location

Industrialisation leads to increasing concentrations

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

Islamabad

125

Elevated pre-industrial concentration due to natural particulates

Rapid industrialisation has driven rising concentrations

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

Beijing

125

Increased pollution following rapid industrialisation

100

75

50

PM2.5 reduced after legislation

25

0

1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

Delhi

125

Stubble burning may have contributed to elevated pre-industrial concentrations

1956-61, second

five-year "rapid industrialisation" plan

100

75

50

25

0

1860

1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

Air quality

classification

Fair

Moderate

Poor

Very poor

Extremely poor

London

125

Frequent smog events

Industrial revolution caused increased pollution

Up to 12,000

dead in the

'Great Smog'

of 1952

Clean Air Act targets 1993 industrial and transport emissions

100

75

50

25

0

1850

1860

1870

1880

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

Jakarta

125

Low pre-industrial concentrations

due to coastal location

Industrialisation leads to increasing concentrations

100

75

50

25

0

1850

1860

1870

1880

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

Islamabad

125

Elevated pre-industrial concentration due to natural particulates

Rapid industrialisation has driven increasing concentrations

100

75

50

25

0

1850

1860

1870

1880

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

Beijing

125

Increased pollution following rapid industrialisation

2008 Olympic

Games highlights

air pollution

100

75

50

25

PM2.5 reduced after legislation

0

1850

1860

1870

1880

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

Delhi

125

Stubble burning may have contributed to elevated pre-industrial concentrations

1956-61 second five-year

"rapid industrialisation" plan

100

75

50

25

0

1850

1860

1870

1880

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020