Accra named Africa’s 3rd most polluted city
Ghana’s capital, Accra, has been named the third most polluted city on the African Continent.
This is per air pollution data analysed by IQAir and contained in its 2020 World Air Quality Index report.
IQAir analysed air pollution data from 106 countries around the globe.
Air pollution is one of the leading causes of death around the world and in what can be considered a warning sign for countries in Southern Africa and the rest of Africa.
Eleven (11) out of fifteen (15) most polluted cities on the continent were located in South Africa alone, according to the latest data from IQAir.
As per the rankings, the city of Bamako in Mali was the most polluted city in Africa, followed by Sebokeng in South Africa and Accra, Ghana in third place.
As per IQAir’s 2020 air quality index, South Africa’s heavy reliance on coal-based energy and other fossil fuels, comprising 91% of the country’s energy mix (one of the highest rates in the world), is a major source of ambient particle pollution.
The report noted that the government has done little to regulate emissions from coal-fired plants, even as they fail to comply with comparatively loose emission standards.
1. Bamako, Mali – 37.9µg/m3
2. Sebokeng, South Africa – 29.5µg/m3
3. Accra, Ghana – 26.9µg/m3
4. Vereeniging, South Africa – 26.5µg/m3
5. Kampala, Uganda – 26.1µg/m3
6. Soshanguve, South Africa – 26.0µg/m3
7. Sasolburg, South Africa – 25.6µg/m3
8. Pretoria, South Africa – 24.4µg/m3
9. Springs, South Africa – 24.4µg/m3
10. Midstream, South Africa – 23.3µg/m3
11. Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa – 22.5µg/m3
12. Johannesburg, South Africa – 22.3µg/m3
13. Abidjan, Ivory Coast – 21.9µg/m3
14. Secunda, South Africa – 21.8µg/m3
15. Hartbeespoort, South Africa – 20.8µg/m3
According to the report, South Africa recently struck a climate financing deal to move away from coal thermal power stations but is already among the biggest polluters in the world.
“In 2020, only 4.9% of South African cities met World Health Organisation (WHO) targets for annual pollution exposure. South Africa’s heavy reliance on coal-based energy and other fossil fuels, comprising 91% of the country’s energy mix, is a major source of ambient particle pollution,” the report noted.
The report added that, “Although South Africa features prominently on the list of 15 most polluted African cities, about 90% of cities in South Africa experienced improved air quality in 2020. This has resulted in South African cities also dominating the index of 15 least-polluted cities in Africa.”
The report only includes PM2.5 data that has been reported by ground-based monitoring stations in real-time or close to real-time. Data is sourced from both governmental monitoring stations and privately owned stations operated by individuals and organisations.
Additionally, historical datasets provided by governments have been selectively added to fill gaps or add locations where available.
Data bias
Some readers may note that only a few cities in Africa made the list. This does not mean that other cities aren’t polluted. Instead, many of these cities lack air pollution reporting tools, so it is difficult to know the pollution levels on the ground.
The fact that a few African cities are featured on the list is a testament to the fact that they have large and wide air pollution monitoring networks set up to detect pollution levels.
