Abstract
In recent decades, the phenomenon of rapid urbanization in various parts of the world has led to a significant increase in PM2.5 concentration, which has emerged as a growing social concern. In order to achieve the objective of sustainable development, the United Nations Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have established the goal of creating inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and human habitats (SDG 11). Goal 11.6 aims to decrease the negative environmental impact per capita in cities, with an emphasis on urban air quality and waste management. However, the global distribution of PM2.5 pollution varies due to disparities in urbanization development in different regions. The purpose of this paper is to explore the global spatial distribution and temporal variation of PM2.5 in cities with populations greater than 300,000 from 2000 to 2020, to gain insight into the issue. The findings indicate that PM2.5 concentrations are expected to continue increasing as urbanization progresses, but the rate of evolution of PM2.5 concentration varies depending on the continent, country, and city. From 2000 to 2020, PM2.5 concentration increased significantly in Asia and Africa, with the majority of the increased concentrations located in Asian countries and some African countries. On the other hand, most European and American countries had lower PM2.5 concentrations. The results of this study have the potential to inform urbanization policy formulation by providing knowledge about the spatial distribution of PM2.5 pollution during global urbanization. Addressing the issue of PM2.5 pollution is critical in achieving SDG 11.6 and promoting sustainable and coordinated development in cities worldwide.
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Conceptualization, H.L.Z., Q.Z., H.Y.Z., and M.M.N.; methodology, H.L.Z., Q.Z., H.Y.Z and M.M.N.; software, H.L.Z., Q.Z., and M.M.N.; validation, H.L.Z., Q.Z., and M.M.N.; formal analysis, H.L.Z., Q.Z., and M.M.N.; investigation, H.L.Z., Q.Z., and M.M.N.; resources, H.L.Z., Q.Z., and M.M.N.; data curation, H.L.Z., Q.Z., and M.M.N.; writing—original draft preparation, M.M.N., H.L.Z., and H.Y.Z.; writing—review and editing, H.L.Z., Q.Z., and M.M.N.; visualization, H.L.Z., Q.Z., and M.M.N.; supervision, M.M.N., H.L.Z., H.Y.Z., and Q.Z.; project administration, M.M.N., H.L.Z., and Q.Z.; funding acquisition, Q.Z., M.M.N., and H.L.Z. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
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1. The temporal and spatial distribution of PM2.5 concentrations in various continents, countries, and cities varied significantly from 2000 to 2020.
2. Asia and Africa had the highest average annual PM2.5 concentrations globally from 2000 to 2020, while Oceania had the lowest.
3. During the first two decades of the 21st century, countries in Asia, Africa, and tropical deserts had the highest annual average PM2.5 concentrations, with Bangladesh having the highest and Australia having the lowest.
4. Delhi had the highest average annual PM2.5 concentration for 20 consecutive years, while Gold Coast-Tweed Head had the lowest among the 1312 cities surveyed between 2000 and 2020.
5. China's average annual PM2.5 concentration has been decreasing slowly since 2015, primarily due to the country's active implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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Zhou, Q., Nizamani, M.M., Zhang, HY. et al. The air we breathe: An In-depth analysis of PM2.5 pollution in 1312 cities from 2000 to 2020. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 93900–93915 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-29043-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-29043-1