JAKARTA: Indonesian capital Jakarta has been the world’s most polluted city on four days this week, according to air quality monitor IQAir, as authorities fail to grapple with a spike in toxic smog.

Air pollution is estimated to contribute to seven million premature deaths every year globally and is considered by the United Nations to be the single biggest environmental health risk.

Jakarta and its surrounds form a megalopolis of about 30 million people that has outpaced other heavily polluted cities including Riyadh, Doha and Lahore during the week for its concentration of tiny particles known as PM2.5.

It has topped Swiss company IQAir’s live ranking of pollution data — which only tracks major cities — at least once every day since Monday, according to the company’s data.

Jakarta has regularly recorded “unhealthy” levels of PM2.5, which can penetrate airways to cause respiratory problems, many times the World Health Organisation’s recommended levels.

President Joko Widodo told reporters he plans to tackle pollution levels by reducing “Jakarta’s burden” as the country prepares to move its capital to Nusantara on Borneo island next year. He also said a planned metro train network across Jakarta “must be finished” to reduce pollution.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2023