Air Quality Trend Report 2024

Air quality in cities is a topic of both hope and concern. With growing and accelerating urbanisation and an increase in traffic, the air quality in many urban environments around the world has deteriorated. This leads to the urgent question of how to find a path towards cleaner and healthier air. With practical and smart strategies that support a greener, breathable future, however, cities demonstrate there’s hope for a turnaround.

The SmartCitiesWorld Trend Report on air quality, supported by Libelium, looks at the impact of traffic and congestion, assessing ways to reduce vehicle emissions and emphasising the role of low-emission zones as well as the expansion of public transportation in mitigating emissions and traffic-related pollution. 

The report will also shine a light on how to regulate emissions from diverse sources, for example through stricter environmental standards and cleaner technologies, and highlights where public-private partnerships can play a key role. 

A holistic approach to air quality improvement is necessary considering the complexities faced by cities in enhancing air quality. By presenting real-world solutions and discussing technological advancements and trends, the report provides a comprehensive approach to addressing the various sources of pollution through collaborative efforts from the public and private sectors.

The report offers insight into:

• The state of play in cities that have made promising strides forward in mitigating poor air quality
• How to create solutions to improve air quality through policy development
• The role of monitoring and sensor technologies in finding solutions that work at the local level.

Among others, the Air Quality Trend Report features case studies from:

• Cartagena, Spain
• London, UK
• Copenhagen, Denmark
• Beijing, China