![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/24NKO5F6A62BST5JE76FMOHQAQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=5cf2b4df8c3c1c308cf1e53fb89e556b67f51d64367de6facf5d4b1a0354631e&width=400&height=225)
10 Maldives — 7.80 micrograms per cubic metre. Photo: Unsplash
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MHKZBB3RMTKJWNYMNJY7JPKCNI.jpg?smart=true&auth=f146c1b2f5c9301365a07750ade4152fd99a6c9611809e5c86b652c54bb218e9&width=400&height=225)
1 Finland. Annual mean concentrations should not exceed 10 micrograms per cubic metre and Finland had 5.86 micrograms. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5C56TRZLRBHX7G7S2TZCLAX5NE.jpg?smart=true&auth=8176e12eeb6101455251c808585bcac675e39a7a6b40fdc4ee1ba2d6c62e7732&width=400&height=225)
2 Brunei — 5.90 micrograms per cubic metre. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YPE7GYFUQAK6WRNQHSN7IVCF7Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=d89f51ebd03a33924c444708f11c593afc129bcdfa18a974b97639cbd37ebcd8&width=400&height=225)
3 New Zealand — 5.96 micrograms per cubic metre. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VZD7CS47DSDE6LCZLHNLCZSPRM.jpg?smart=true&auth=b33903d142cd773d11ce187ccd03f683d3be22c064db033becd0a7fd8fecbacd&width=400&height=225)
4 Sweden — 6.18 micrograms per cubic metre. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2EPHWOXQWVCFHH7WKJWEAXM3J4.jpg?smart=true&auth=b0172db52548e8c79a90c6effbc2bf6191e06557b396acf7117b67c84c22bd29&width=400&height=225)
5 Canada — 6.43 micrograms per cubic metre. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/T7DZBFI3YVDEXPYKNBVZPTR2NM.jpg?smart=true&auth=4b921e7fc0c4a6bf17454ca692df3efe46e26b2edb9c98b4bdebd1754607e2ee&width=400&height=225)
6 Iceland — 6.48 micrograms per cubic metre. Photo: Visit Iceland
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/W7HY3YKIRB5E2KLFKSHRCRRBRA.jpg?smart=true&auth=559bdf44c360604fb0908645362339a3ba323b5eda42016c5c5327c941040ee3&width=400&height=225)
7 Estonia — 6.73 micrograms per cubic metre. Photo: Pixabay
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZOSQMTYQ65BNHHUJK2YPAKN6BM.jpg?smart=true&auth=c8762f52f8d883e64570cb40844c8f41446e8464d41a44a3ea0471b9e70f0890&width=400&height=225)
8 Norway — 6.96 micrograms per cubic metre. Photo: Visit Norway
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZBYOZL2MG7EGGEJK3K23PHO56I.jpg?smart=true&auth=15ef2521a1db1bd5f619144d3b2d24a229622d6482fcad25655896012d23fb4e&width=400&height=225)
9 USA — 7.41 micrograms per cubic metre. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/24NKO5F6A62BST5JE76FMOHQAQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=5cf2b4df8c3c1c308cf1e53fb89e556b67f51d64367de6facf5d4b1a0354631e&width=400&height=225)
10 Maldives — 7.80 micrograms per cubic metre. Photo: Unsplash
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MHKZBB3RMTKJWNYMNJY7JPKCNI.jpg?smart=true&auth=f146c1b2f5c9301365a07750ade4152fd99a6c9611809e5c86b652c54bb218e9&width=400&height=225)
1 Finland. Annual mean concentrations should not exceed 10 micrograms per cubic metre and Finland had 5.86 micrograms. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5C56TRZLRBHX7G7S2TZCLAX5NE.jpg?smart=true&auth=8176e12eeb6101455251c808585bcac675e39a7a6b40fdc4ee1ba2d6c62e7732&width=400&height=225)
2 Brunei — 5.90 micrograms per cubic metre. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YPE7GYFUQAK6WRNQHSN7IVCF7Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=d89f51ebd03a33924c444708f11c593afc129bcdfa18a974b97639cbd37ebcd8&width=400&height=225)
3 New Zealand — 5.96 micrograms per cubic metre. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VZD7CS47DSDE6LCZLHNLCZSPRM.jpg?smart=true&auth=b33903d142cd773d11ce187ccd03f683d3be22c064db033becd0a7fd8fecbacd&width=400&height=225)
4 Sweden — 6.18 micrograms per cubic metre. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2EPHWOXQWVCFHH7WKJWEAXM3J4.jpg?smart=true&auth=b0172db52548e8c79a90c6effbc2bf6191e06557b396acf7117b67c84c22bd29&width=400&height=225)
5 Canada — 6.43 micrograms per cubic metre. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/T7DZBFI3YVDEXPYKNBVZPTR2NM.jpg?smart=true&auth=4b921e7fc0c4a6bf17454ca692df3efe46e26b2edb9c98b4bdebd1754607e2ee&width=400&height=225)
6 Iceland — 6.48 micrograms per cubic metre. Photo: Visit Iceland
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/W7HY3YKIRB5E2KLFKSHRCRRBRA.jpg?smart=true&auth=559bdf44c360604fb0908645362339a3ba323b5eda42016c5c5327c941040ee3&width=400&height=225)
7 Estonia — 6.73 micrograms per cubic metre. Photo: Pixabay
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZOSQMTYQ65BNHHUJK2YPAKN6BM.jpg?smart=true&auth=c8762f52f8d883e64570cb40844c8f41446e8464d41a44a3ea0471b9e70f0890&width=400&height=225)
8 Norway — 6.96 micrograms per cubic metre. Photo: Visit Norway
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZBYOZL2MG7EGGEJK3K23PHO56I.jpg?smart=true&auth=15ef2521a1db1bd5f619144d3b2d24a229622d6482fcad25655896012d23fb4e&width=400&height=225)
9 USA — 7.41 micrograms per cubic metre. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/24NKO5F6A62BST5JE76FMOHQAQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=5cf2b4df8c3c1c308cf1e53fb89e556b67f51d64367de6facf5d4b1a0354631e&width=400&height=225)
10 Maldives — 7.80 micrograms per cubic metre. Photo: Unsplash
How bad is our air pollution - and how do we tackle it?
Cutting pollutants from heavy industry and road transport is within our grasp
![Daniel Bardsley](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F4dcffed7-67d1-4c6f-b468-84a82d1ddd22.png?smart=true&auth=e4d7a6e3c76d7ec922e25339bc18538c62bc925936c2316006dc89b8a7becdc6&width=70&height=70)
Daniel Bardsley
20 September, 2022
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