Indonesia’s Jakarta named world’s most polluted city; capital moved to Nusantara
Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, has been named the most polluted city in the world. The data from Swiss air quality technology company IQAir confirmed this.
The city, with over 10 million residents, records unhealthy air pollution levels nearly every day and has been consistently ranked among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world since May.
The residents of Jakarta embarked on a legal battle against the government in 2021, urging authorities to take action on worsening environmental pollution, a case they won and resulted in the decision of the government to move the Indonesian capital city from Jakarta to Nusantara.
Indonesians have persistently complained of toxic air from chronic traffic, industrial smoke and coal-fired power plants, resulting in a court ordering President Joko Widodo to national air quality standards to protect human health.
The court also directed the health minister and Jakarta governor to find lasting solutions to the crisis.
Despite that, the city’s pollution level worsens, forcing the government to move the capital to Nusantara, where construction is underway before the 2024 deadline.
“We take more than 20,000 breaths a day. If we take in polluted air every day, (it could lead to) respiratory and pulmonary diseases, even asthma. It can affect the cognitive development of children or even mental health,” said Nathan Roestandy, cofounder of the air quality app Nafas Indonesia.
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