Bermuda is one of the cleanest countries in terms of air quality, and Hamilton is similarly ranked, according to the 2023 World Air Quality Report.

The report, prepared from Air IQ data, is based on PM2.5 readings from more than 30,000 ground-level air-monitoring stations in 7,812 cities.

PM2.5 air pollution is airborne particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter and is typically caused by the combination of fossil fuels, wildfires and dust storms.

Air IQ’s air-quality monitoring stations are operated by research organisations, governments, universities, non-profits, private companies and citizen scientists.

In the report, Bermuda has the fifth-cleanest air, after Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and French Polynesia.

Hamilton is No 5 on the capital city list, after Reykjavik, Canberra, Wellington and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Bermuda and Hamilton had an average PM2.5 reading of 4.1 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023.

The report said that air pollution was “the greatest environmental threat to human health” and that much more work needs to be done internationally to address it.

“According to the World Health Organisation, air pollution is responsible for an estimated seven million premature deaths worldwide every year,” the report said.

“Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution leads to and exacerbates numerous health conditions, including but not limited to asthma, cancer, stroke and lung disease.

“Additionally, exposure to elevated levels of fine particles can impair cognitive development in children, lead to mental-health issues and complicate existing illnesses including diabetes.

Bermuda was one of only ten of 134 included countries that met PM2.5 air-quality standards last year.

WHO standards call for an average annual PM2.5 of less than 5 micrograms per cubic metre.

Only 9 per cent of cities achieving the standard.

The only countries beside Bermuda to achieve or pass the standard were Finland, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and French Polynesia.

The report noted that in addition to its direct impact on human health, air quality also has implications for climate change.

“Climate change, primarily driven by greenhouse gas emissions, plays a pivotal role in influencing concentrations of PM2.5 air pollutants and fossil fuel emissions are simultaneously responsible for the majority of PM2.5-related deaths,” the report said.

“Simultaneously addressing air pollution and climate change goals is feasible, offering opportunities for comprehensive environmental improvements.”

Frank Hammes, IQAir Global CEO, told CNN: “We see that in every part of our lives that air pollution has an impact, and it typically, in some of the most polluted countries, is likely shaving off anywhere between three to six years of people’s lives.

“And then before that will lead to many years of suffering that are entirely preventable if there’s better air quality.”