It’s no secret that Beijing, China and Delhi, India are host to some of the worst air quality in the world. Rising up the ranks to join these two cities now is Tehran, Iran, who in the past two weeks has shut its entire city down for three days because of air quality concerns. The city closed all of its schools, universities, banks, and government offices because it was not safe for people to breathe the air outside.
The pollution is primarily caused by automotive and industrial emissions, and in a city of 12 million people, 3 million cars, and non-stop traffic jams, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the city’s inhabitants are beginning to suffer.
So far, the most effective solution the government has proposed is for people to leave the city. In fact, the government is beginning to relocate many of its ministries elsewhere to encourage the mass migration.
With the current International Climate Conference taking place in Cancun in mind, and the global community discussing joint action to be taken, should we not be asking more of nations such as Iran to take stronger action against their emissions, than simply spreading it into the country?
