Asger Risom
Only 13 countries worldwide meet safe air quality standards, including just three in Europe, as pollution continues to rise due to climate change and environmental pressures.
Air pollution is worsening worldwide, with only a handful of countries meeting safe breathing standards.
A new global report highlights how rare clean air has become—and which parts of Europe still qualify.
According to Euronews, citing data from Swiss air quality firm IQAir, only 13 countries and territories met World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for safe air in 2025. The analysis covered more than 9,400 cities across 143 countries.
Most of the world failed to meet these standards, with 91% of countries exceeding recommended pollution limits.
The findings point to worsening air quality driven by climate change, including wildfires, dust storms and fossil fuel emissions.
Europe’s Cleanest
In Europe, only three countries met WHO guidelines for fine particle pollution, known as PM2.5.
These were Andorra, Estonia and Iceland, all staying within the recommended annual limit of 5 micrograms per cubic meter.
Globally, the remaining countries with clean air included Australia, Barbados, Bermuda and several island territories.
By contrast, the most polluted countries were Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Rising Pollution
Air quality trends across Europe were mixed. In 2025, 23 countries saw pollution levels increase, while 18 recorded improvements.
Switzerland and Greece experienced some of the sharpest rises, with PM2.5 levels climbing by more than 30%. This was linked to wildfire smoke from North America and dust from the Sahara.
Malta recorded the biggest improvement, cutting pollution by nearly a quarter due to renewable energy expansion and reduced traffic emissions.
Urban Hotspots
Major cities continue to struggle with air quality. According to the report, Paris ranked among the five most polluted cities globally at one point, alongside Beijing, Dhaka, Wuhan and Seoul.
London also appeared in the global top 10.
The EU’s Copernicus service warned that seasonal factors such as agricultural emissions, pollen and stagnant weather are worsening pollution levels.
Experts added that fossil fuel use, particularly in Eastern Europe and the Balkans, remains a persistent source of poor air quality.
Data Gaps
Despite the extensive dataset, gaps remain in global air monitoring.
IQAir said only a small share of the world’s population has access to real-time air quality data.
In some regions, monitoring has declined. The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air reported weaker systems in 44 countries, with six lacking any monitoring at all.
“Without monitoring, we can’t fully understand what we’re breathing,” said IQAir CEO Frank Hammes.
“Expanding access to real-time data gives communities the power to take action. By reducing emissions and combating climate change, we can achieve real and sustainable improvements in air quality globally,” he added.
Sources: Euronews, IQAir, WHO, Copernicus, CREA
