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Smog covering Santiago, Chile with the sun high in the sky
Image: Matias Basualdo/Zuma/picture alliance Image: Matias Basualdo/Zuma/picture alliance

Smog

Technically, it's volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight. Practically, it's dirty air caused by emissions from vehicles, agriculture and industry. And smog is making us sick.

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

A view of Delhi's war memorial, India Gate (L), shrouded in smog. The faint sun can be seen in the upper right corner of the image.

India: Schools shut, construction halts as smog chokes Delhi

India: Schools shut, construction halts as smog chokes Delhi

Indian authorities appear unable to effectively address the root of the smog, leaving residents increasingly frustrated.
ClimateNovember 19, 202402:20 min
Smog in Lahore / Pakistan

Pakistan: Health emergency declared over record smog

Pakistan: Health emergency declared over record smog

A dense smog engulfs Pakistan’s Lahore and Punjab region, as hospitals report nearly 70,000 daily respiratory cases.
ClimateNovember 16, 202402:46 min
Men walk on a street in New Delhi through the smog.

India's capital chokes as air pollution soars

India's capital chokes as air pollution soars

Toxic smog has blanketed India's capital, Delhi, with air pollution levels exceeding safe limits by more than 50 times.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 15, 202401:56 min
Pedestrians walk along a road engulfed in thick smog in Lahore on November 11

Life in Lahore, the world's most polluted city

Life in Lahore, the world's most polluted city

Residents, a doctor, and a disaster expert tell DW how the extremely hazardous air is affecting daily life in Lahore.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 14, 202402:02 min
A man covers his face with a scarf to avoid smog as he walks along a road in Multan, Pakistan

Air pollution in Pakistan reaches record levels

Air pollution in Pakistan reaches record levels

The Punjab government has introduced emergency measures, including prolonged school closures and compulsory face masks.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 12, 20247 images
man with a face mask on his morning run in New Delhi

India's capital Delhi battles 'eyes-watering' pollution

India's capital Delhi battles 'eyes-watering' pollution

India's capital topped pollution charts a day after fireworks were set off to celebrate Diwali.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 2, 202401:39 min
Skip next section In the spotlight

In the spotlight

A photo of central New Delhi covered in a smoggy haze

India: Diwali fireworks renew air pollution debate in Delhi

Every year, Delhi celebrates the festival of Diwali by lighting fireworks, sending the thick smog to toxic levels.
ClimateOctober 29, 2024
Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr holding the German Africa Prize next to German Bundestag President Bärbel Bas

Sierra Leone: Eco-friendly mayor wins German Africa Prize

The German Africa Foundation honors Freetown's mayor for her outstanding commitment to urban development.
PoliticsOctober 16, 2024
A glass box is filled with a green liquid on a street

Serbia's surprising solution to air pollution — liquid trees

Serbian scientists are trialing innovative liquid trees to help improve air quality in urban areas.
Nature and EnvironmentMay 15, 202401:30 min
A collage of greyscale, smog-filled cityscapes: Cars, chimneys, trash bags, high-rises, smoke. In the foreground, a hand in a yellow rubber cleaning glove is wiping over the scene with a green cloth. In the trail of the cleaning cloth, a different city collage is revealed: Blue skies over green trees and an idyllic canal, with colorful houses surrounding it.

How megacities are tackling air pollution

Many of the world's biggest cities are slowly improving their air quality. Here's how.
HealthJanuary 11, 2024
Hindu devotees worship the sun god as they stand amidst the foam covering the polluted Yamuna River during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja

Pollution in Delhi: Toxic foam on India's Yamuna River

It is not just smog that is making life difficult for Delhi's residents, now toxic foam is floating on the Yamuna River.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 23, 20238 images
High-rise buildings in an area with a high level of air pollution in Sofia, Bulgaria

Air pollution: Nearly everyone in Europe breathing bad air

With the EU voting on new air quality rules, satellite data shows 98% of people face pollution above recommended limits.
Nature and EnvironmentSeptember 7, 2023
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