Every winter, India’s PM2.5 pollution levels reach more than 10 times the World Health Organization’s annual limit. Hazy skies and high pollution alerts have become the norm during India’s winters. But just why is this? Analyzing India’s Summer & Winter Pollution Levels Data analyzed by Smart Air showed that India’s winter PM2.5 air pollution levels […]
Category: Weather
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China’s Air Quality Improved 9% in 2020, is COVID-19 the Reason?
On paper, China’s “war” on air pollution is still underway. But with COVID-19 disrupting the first half of 2020, has air quality really improved? Smart Air analyzed PM2.5 data for 11 of China’s major cities to get to the bottom of it. The data showed average PM2.5 reduced 9% compared to the first half of […]
Can Masks Filter Pollen and Prevent Hay Fever?
Every year, spring’s blossoms bring with them wave of pollen. For places like Beijing, it’s also the start of the ‘snowy season’, with the hundreds of willow trees producing their fluffy catkin friends and the sniffles that follow. But how can we avoid the uncomfortable coughing and sneezing? Which masks work best for protecting us […]
Did India’s Air Improve in 2019
A Smart Air analysis of new air quality data found that pollution improved in 2019 in all major cities in india. Small PM2.5 particles in the air decreased from 2018 to 2019 by as much as 15.5%. Delhi Even though all cities saw pollution decrease, Delhi saw just a meagre 1% decrease. Among India’s five […]
Beijing PM2.5 Air Quality Report – 2019 Statistics
A Smart Air analysis of new air quality data Beijing’s PM2.5 pollution dropped 11% in 2019 from the year before. Combined with progress in earlier years, Beijing has cut its PM2.5 in half compared to 2014. Beijing’s improvement suggests that the 2013-2017 Clean Air Action Plan, with its tens of billions RMB, has […]
Shanghai Air Pollution Progress Stalls, Worsens Slightly
A Smart Air analysis of 2019 air pollution data found that Shanghai’s PM2.5 improvement has stalled out, actually increasing by 3% over 2018. A tally of “good” air dropped by 9.3% in 2019. In 2018, 32% of days in Shanghai qualified as “good”. In 2019, that dropped to 23%. Daily air quality is categorized based […]
Is Beijing or Delhi Air Worse?
Beijing and Delhi often make headlines for air polluted cities, but which city has worse air? I wanted to get some hard numbers on how the two cities’ air quality compare. The Data To do that, I analyzed PM2.5 data from the US Embassies in Delhi and government monitors in Beijing from 2015 to […]
Is China to Blame for Seoul’s Air Pollution?
Air pollution is a serious problem in Seoul, which South Koreans have often blamed China for. Is that fact or a convenient scapegoat? After all, Seoul is a densely populated, developed city that depends on coal power plants. South Korea certainly has its own sources of pollution. To get to the bottom of it, I […]
Is China to Blame for Seoul’s Air Pollution? – Supplemental Data
This article includes supplemental data for the main article “Is China to blame for Seoul’s air pollution?” This supplemental data will show how high and low wind speeds affect the PM2.5 levels. Ultimately, this supplemental article draws the same conclusion as the main article. Does Wind Speed Affect PM2.5? What if particulate matter can […]
How Bad Is the Air Pollution in Seoul?
How bad is the air pollution in Seoul, South Korea? On the one hand, Seoul is a modern, developed place, which means it shouldn’t be that bad. On the other hand, news media have reported several bad smog attacks in the last year. I wanted to get some hard numbers on it, so I analyzed […]
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