By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Taiwan’s air quality ranking improved in 2025, but Kaohsiung remains among the areas in the nation with higher levels of fine particulate pollution, according to a new global report.
A UDN report notes that data released by Swiss air quality firm IQAir shows Taiwan ranked 74th worldwide last year, an improvement of 20 places from the previous year. In the index, a higher ranking indicates lower pollution levels.
Despite the improvement, Taiwan’s average PM2.5 concentration was 13.3 micrograms per cubic meter, exceeding both the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline of 5 and Taiwan’s domestic standard of 12.
Within Taiwan, Kaohsiung was listed among the top five areas with the highest annual PM2.5 concentrations. The most polluted areas included Kinmen County, Donggang Township in Pingtung County, Kaohsiung, Lienchiang County, and Tainan.
By contrast, the lowest levels were recorded in Taitung County, Guanshan Township, and Hualien City.
Globally, air quality worsened in 2025, with only 14% of cities meeting WHO standards. The report cited wildfires, fossil fuel emissions, and agricultural pollution as key factors.
The 25 most polluted cities were all located in India, Pakistan, and China, where industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, dust storms, and crop burning remain key sources of pollution.
At the national level, Pakistan and Bangladesh recorded the highest average PM2.5 concentrations, while French Polynesia and Puerto Rico ranked among the cleanest, with levels below WHO limits.
The World Bank has estimated that outdoor air pollution caused approximately 5.7 million deaths globally in 2020, with associated economic losses equivalent to 6.5% of global GDP.
Analysts say that while Taiwan has made overall progress, regional disparities persist, with southern and offshore areas continuing to face higher exposure to pollution.
