Jakarta snags ‘most polluted’ title as air quality plunges and officials dither

Air Pollution Crisis in Jakarta: A Report on the Most Polluted City on Earth

JAKARTA — 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.

Worsening Air Pollution Crisis

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.

The polluted air has contributed to respiratory ailments, with more than 630,000 cases recorded in the first six months of the year.

Among those reportedly affected this time is President Joko Widodo, said to be suffering from a persistent cough for nearly the past month.

“The president asked for concrete actions within the next week because the president himself has suffered from cough, he said for almost four weeks,” Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno said following a meeting with the president on Aug. 14. “He had never felt like this before. His doctor said it’s likely because of the unhealthy and poor air quality.”

The fact that the president himself has reportedly fallen ill from breathing dirty air means no one is immune to the problem, said the Jakarta Advocacy Team, a group of residents who have long campaigned against air pollution in Southeast Asia’s biggest city.

“We are concerned about the president’s condition,” team representative Natalia Naibaho, who’s also a lawyer at the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta), told Mongabay. “This proves that air pollution doesn’t discriminate against age, gender or status. If the president with all the privilege that he has can be affected, then regular citizens could as well.”

Government Inaction and Legal Battle

Widodo has ordered swift action on tackling the issue, saying air pollution has been a persistent problem in Jakarta for years now. But this would mark a U-turn from the administration’s long-standing attitude to air pollution, which has been to downplay the severity of the problem.

In 2019, the Jakarta Advocacy Team filed a civil lawsuit against the government, including the Jakarta and Widodo administrations, for failing to protect the people’s right to clean air. They won the lawsuit in 2021, with the court ruling that Widodo and the other respondents must take measures to improve air quality in the capital.

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SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Identified:

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
   • Indicator 3.9.1: Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
   • Indicator 11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g., PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population-weighted).

Explanation:

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being is addressed in the article as it discusses the impact of air pollution on the health of Jakarta residents, including President Joko Widodo. The article mentions that more than 630,000 cases of respiratory illness were recorded in the first six months of the year, highlighting the negative health effects of air pollution.

2. Under SDG 3, Target 3.9 is relevant to the article’s content. This target aims to reduce deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air pollution. The article specifically mentions the high levels of PM2.5 pollutants in Jakarta’s air, which can cause respiratory diseases.

3. The article implies Indicator 3.9.1, which measures the mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution. Although the article does not provide specific mortality data, it highlights the impact of air pollution on respiratory health, indicating a potential increase in mortality rates.

4. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities is also addressed in the article as it discusses the air pollution problem in Jakarta, which affects the city’s environmental sustainability and the well-being of its residents.

5. Target 11.6 under SDG 11 is relevant to the article’s content. This target aims to reduce the adverse environmental impact of cities, including air quality. The article highlights the high levels of air pollution in Jakarta, making it the most polluted city on Earth.

6. Indicator 11.6.2 is implied in the article, which measures the annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) in cities. The article mentions the PM2.5 readings in Jakarta, which exceeded the safe limit set by the World Health Organization.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: news.mongabay.com

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