Sarajevo Tops List As World's Most Polluted City Amid Choking Smog

Squeezed into a steep valley in the mountains, Sarajevo recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 301, which is considered Very Unhealthy, making it the most polluted city in the world on December 19. The Indian city of Kolkata was indexed at 239.

A road in Sarajevo shrouded in smog. On December 21, the Bosnian capital retained its top spot as the most polluted city in the world for a third straight day, according to the Swiss air quality technology company IQAir.

Sarajevo has always faced dangerously high levels of air pollution during the winter months, forcing many of the city's 275,000 inhabitants to wear masks when venturing outside.

Many of the city's residents rely on old and highly polluting vehicles, resulting in emissions and pollution rising by 3 percent per year for the last decade.

With air quality so poor, Sarajevo's bike paths were largely empty on December 20. As part of their efforts to address the health issue, local authorities have increased the number of energy-efficient buildings and steadily enhanced public transit.
 

Part of the European Union's initiative for 100 cities striving for net-zero emissions by the end of the decade, Sarajevo is actively formulating comprehensive action and investment plans for climate neutrality across sectors like energy and transportation. This inclusive process involves collaboration with the private sector, citizens, and research organizations.

A train station in the city was barely discernible in the thick, soupy, toxic haze.

Other Bosnian cities are also suffering from high levels of air pollution due to the nation's reliance on coal and wood for heating.

According to the World Bank, an estimated 3,300 people in Bosnia die prematurely every year from exposure to air pollution, accounting for 9 percent of the total annual mortality. About 16 percent of this health burden is carried by Sarajevo and the northwestern city of Banja Luka.

A view of Sarajevo on December 20 as sunlight tries to break through the toxic haze.