A report into air quality around the world shows Canada overall ranks well, but that may change.
IQAir, based in Switzerland, reviewed the status of air quality around the world and ranked Canada 111 out of 131 countries, with Guam in “last place” with the least polluted air.
Chad came in first place with the worst air quality.
However, areas such as the Pacific Northwest in Canada and the U.S. have seen an increase in pollution.
Seattle, Portland and Vancouver all saw a sharp increase in air pollution, according to the report, which was likely due to climate change-related wildfires.
Portland is now the 15th most polluted city in the U.S., Seattle is the 18th and Vancouver’s fine particulate matter (PM2.5) measurement of micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) jumped from 5.8 to 6.7.
The research found that most of the spikes in the air quality in these cities were attributed to wildfires, which means air quality in the Pacific Northwest could continue to worsen if wildfire seasons are longer and rainy seasons are shorter.
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Guidelines from the World Health Organization state that in order to reduce air pollution levels, annual average concentrations of fine particular matter should not exceed 5 µg/m3, while 24-hour average exposures should not exceed 15 µg/m3 more than three to four days per year.
Fine particulate matter, (PM2.5), are tiny particles in the air that reduce visibility and cause the air to appear hazy when levels are elevated.
Some of the cities in B.C. that exceeded the WHO guidelines by one or two times include Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey, Parksville, Hazelton, Smithers and Chetwynd.
Some of the cities that met the guidelines include Prince Rupert, Terrace, Powell River and Honeymoon Bay.
Among the most polluted cities in B.C. include Chilliwack, Lumby and Sicamous.
The province issued a B.C. environmental assessment certificate to Cedar LNG Partners LP for the proposed Cedar LNG project in northwestern British Columbia.
Under the new energy framework, the province will require all proposed LNG facilities in or entering the environmental assessment process to pass an emissions test with a credible plan to be net zero by 2030.
The B.C. government has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 16 per cent below 2007 levels by 2025, 40 per cent by 2030, 60 per cent by 2040 and 80 per cent by 2050.
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