Clean and green: Kuching now 11th cleanest city globally according to IQAir’s real-time data

A file photo of Kuching Waterfront.

KUCHING, Jan 21: Kuching, Sarawak’s capital and largest city, is currently (Jan 21) ranked as the world’s 11th cleanest city.

This recognition is based on data from the IQAir website, a real-time air quality reporting portal for cities worldwide. The city’s cleanliness has been measured in real-time using air quality data.

The data show that Kuching has 18 AQI (air quality index) points, indicating that the city’s air quality is good.

Kuching has received numerous cleanest city awards, including the prestigious ‘Asean Clean Tourist City Standard Award – National Level 2024-2026’ last year.

According to the data, Kuching surpasses Kuala Lumpur in terms of its ranking and air quality. Kuala Lumpur is currently ranked 84th globally with an AQI of 88 points.

At the top of the list, San Francisco, United States of America (USA), claimed the first spot with an AQI of one point, followed by Nagoya, Japan, and Kobe, Japan.

Singapore was ranked 45th, Jakarta, Indonesia (46th), and Chiang Mai, Thailand ranked 62nd.

Meanwhile, Dhaka (Bangladesh) is ranked as the most polluted city in the world, with 260 points, followed by Kolkata, India, and Lahore, Pakistan, who round out the top three most polluted cities worldwide. — DayakDaily