15 Cities with the Cleanest Air in the World

According to the list of 16 Cleanest Countries in the World, cleanest air in the world in 2016 and 2017 was recorded in Iceland. Countries with vast territory, like the USA, often have both cities with the cleanest air and cities with most polluted air which depends mostly on the geographic position of the city. For example, Visalia-Porterville-Hanford metro area in California’s San Joaquin Valley, is the most polluted area in the US, while Hawaii is among the cleanest. The proximity of industrial plants will contribute to higher pollution levels while cities that are more isolated often tend to have better air quality. Studies have shown that air pollution has been connected with increased risks of developing kidney, bladder, colorectal and lung cancer. Connections are made between cancer and long-term exposures to three pollutants, namely, PM 2.5, ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). This is a huge issue since levels of pollution are not coming down and millions of people are exposed to various pollutants.


Insider Monkey compiled a new list, this time focusing on 15 cities with the cleanest air in the world. It is interesting that a lot of people decide to move away from large cities because they believe that living away from the city will guarantee access to clean air and fewer pollutants. Technically, this is true, since cities usually tend to have higher levels of dangerous pollutants such as PM 2.5, O3 and NO2, because of increased use of cars and less green areas. However, many cities on the above-mentioned list are large cities (even capital cities) have very clean air. How is this possible? The answer is simple: These respective cities/countries invest A LOT in raising awareness of pollution and they offer eco-friendly options for their residents. For example, well developed public transportation allows people to opt for more eco-friendly option while moving around the city and it will directly influence air quality. These cities should be used as examples all around the world since they show that it is possible to reduce air pollution in urban areas with planning and implementing eco-friendly solutions. 

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