In the News
August 22, 2023
Millions of residents of Jakarta have for the past several weeks suffered from some of the worst air pollution recorded anywhere in the world. Even President Joko Widodo has been affected by the problem — a problem his own administration refused to address even after being ordered to do so by a court two years ago.
On Aug. 15, readings for PM2.5, a class of airborne pollutants so fine that they can be inhaled and cause respiratory disease, reached 116.7 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) — more than 23 times higher than what the World Health Organization (WHO) considers safe.
This makes Jakarta’s air quality the worst in the world, according to data from IQAir, a Swiss-based air quality technology company.
In fact, air pollution levels have consistently been so bad throughout August that IQAir ranked Jakarta as the most polluted city on Earth for several days in the month…
…According to a 2022 report by Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), developed by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), air pollution slashes three to four years off Jakarta citizens’ life expectancy.
An analysis by CREA estimates that air pollution causes nearly 2,000 deaths per year in Jakarta and $1.1 billion in economic costs. These deaths are due to heart attack, stroke, lung cancer, chronic respiratory disease and other health conditions linked to air pollution. Other health impacts include new cases of asthma and preterm births.
The Widodo administration, which is building a new national capital on the island of Borneo, says this should alleviate many of the problems currently afflicting Jakarta, including air pollution.