Environmental pollution worldwide

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WORLDWIDE

Table of Contents
 Table of Contents

01 Overview
Global concerns about key environmental issues 2020 02
Concerns about the environmental impacts of packaging worldwide 2020, by country 03
Global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide 1959-2020 04
Average PM2.5 levels in most polluted countries worldwide 2019-2020 05
Oil tanker disasters by quantity of spilled oil up to 2020 06

02 Air pollution
Global CO2 emissions related to energy 1975-2021 08
Global per capita NOx emissions by key country 2019 09
Average PM2.5 levels in the most polluted capital cities worldwide 2019-2020 10
Average PM2.5 levels in the most polluted cities worldwide 2020 11
Fossil fuel generated PM2.5 death rates worldwide by region 2018 12
Global deaths caused by air pollution 2019, by country 13
Global particulate emissions damage as a share of GNI 1990-2019, by select country 14
 Table of Contents

03 Water pollution
Lowest clean waters scores worldwide 2019, by select country 16
Global share of wastewater safely treated 2020, by region 17
Global oil tanker spills by volume 1970-2020 18
Annual average number of global oil spills per decade 1970-2020 19
Toxic hazard of largest water polluters in the U.S. 2018 20
Coastal mismanaged plastic waste generation worldwide 2016, by select country 21
Quantity of plastic in major marine areas 2019 22

04 Land pollution
World's biggest dump sites 2019 24
Waste disposal volumes per year at the largest landfills worldwide 2021 25
World's biggest dump sites by daily volume 2021 26
Estimated number of illegal dumps in Europe 2021, by country 27
Global fertilizer demand by nutrient 2011-2022 28
Table of Contents

Global tree cover loss by dominant driver 2020 29

Global primary forest loss 2020, by key country 30
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WORLDWIDE

Overview
Most important environmental issues faced worldwide in 2020*
Global concerns about key environmental issues 2020

Percentage of respondents

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Global warming or climate change 37%

Air pollution 33%

Dealing with waste 32%

Deforestation 26%

Water pollution 25%

Nature resource depletion 20%

Future energy sources and supplies 18%

Over-packaging of consumer goods 15%

Overpopulation 15%

Wildlife conservation 15%

Emissions 14%

Poor quality drinking water 12%

Flooding 11%

Future food sources and supplies 9%

Soil erosion 6%

Note(s): Worldwide; February 21 to March 6, 2020; 16-74 years; 20,590 respondents; 28 countries
Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 32.
2 Source(s): Ipsos; ID 895943 Overview
How concerned are you about product packaging and its impact on the following environmental issues?
Concerns about the environmental impacts of packaging worldwide 2020, by country

Share of respondents

Brazil India Indonesia France Germany

United States Italy China United Kingdom Japan

Water pollution 93% 92% 89% 84% 78% 75% 74% 70% 65% 60%

Waste production 86% 84% 79% 78% 71% 72% 75% 64% 71% 58%

Air pollution 89% 91% 90% 80% 68% 71% 76% 71% 61% 59%

Climate change 79% 88% 79% 79% 74% 70% 73% 65% 65% 62%

Deforestation 89% 86% 87% 80% 80% 67% 74% 64% 68% 57%

Natural resource depletion 87% 85% 83% 80% 72% 67% 67% 64% 62% 51%

Marine litter 87% 80% 83% 82% 86% 67% 82% 63% 72% 65%

Note(s): Worldwide; August 2020; 10,000*

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 33.
3 Source(s): McKinsey; ID 1010173 Overview
Historic average carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere worldwide from 1959 to 2020 (in parts per million)*
Global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide 1959-2020

425

405
Concentration in parts per million

385

365

345

325

305
59 961 963 965 967 969 971 973 975 977 979 981 983 985 987 989 991 993 995 997 999 001 003 005 007 009 011 013 015 017 019
19 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Note(s): Worldwide
Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 34.
4 Source(s): NOAA; ESRL; ID 1091926 Overview
Average PM2.5 concentration of the most polluted countries in the world in 2019 and 2020* (in micrograms per
cubic meter of air)
Average PM2.5 levels in most polluted countries worldwide 2019-2020

PM2.5 concentration in µg/m³

2019 2020

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
77.1
Bangladesh 83.3
59
Pakistan 65.8
51.9
India 58.1
46.6
Mongolia 62
46.5
Afghanistan 58.8
Oman** 0 44.4

Qatar** 0 44.3

43.5
Kyrgyzstan 33.2
40.7
Indonesia 51.7
40.6
Bosnia and Herzegovina 34.6
39.7
Bahrain 46.8
39.2
Nepal 44.5
Mali** 0 37.9

34.7
China 39.1

Note(s): Worldwide; 2019 to 2020

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 35.
5 Source(s): IQAir; ID 1135356 Overview
Oil tanker disasters by quantity of spilled oil from 1967 to 2020 (in metric tons)
Oil tanker disasters by quantity of spilled oil up to 2020

Spill size in metric tons

0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000

Atlantic Empress (1979) 287,000

ABT Summer (1991) 260,000

Castillo de Bellver (1983) 252,000

Amoco Cadiz (1978) 223,000

Haven (1991) 144,000

Odyssey (1988) 132,000

Torrey Canyon (1967) 119,000

Sea Star (1972) 115,000

Sanchi (2018)* 113,000

Urquiola (1976) 100,000

Irenes Serenade (1980) 100,000

Hawaiian Patriot (1977) 95,000

Independenta (1979) 94,000

Jakob Maersk (1975) 88,000

Braer (1993) 85,000

Note(s): Worldwide; 1967 to 2020

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 36.
6 Source(s): ITOPF; ID 262790 Overview
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WORLDWIDE

Air pollution
Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions worldwide from 1975 to 2021* (in billion metric tons)
Global CO2 emissions related to energy 1975-2021

35

30
CO2 emissions in billion metric tons

25

20

15

10
75 80 85 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 **
19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 021
2

Note(s): Worldwide; 1975 to 2021

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 37.
8 Source(s): IEA; ID 526002 Air pollution
Per capita nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in 2019, by select country (in kilograms)
Global per capita NOx emissions by key country 2019

NOx emissions in kilograms per capita

0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Australia 107.7

Iceland 61

Canada 44.1

New Zealand 36.9

Luxembourg 30

Norway 28.5

Greece 23.8

United States 23.6

Finland 20.7

Ireland 20.4

Estonia 18.9

Lithuania 18.4

Poland 18

Latvia 17.3

Denmark 16.9

Note(s): OECD; 2019

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 38.
9 Source(s): OECD; ID 478834 Air pollution
Average PM2.5 concentration of the most polluted capital cities in the world in 2019 and 2020* (in micrograms per
cubic meter of air)
Average PM2.5 levels in the most polluted capital cities worldwide 2019-2020

PM2.5 concentration in µg/m³

2019 2020

0 20 40 60 80 100 120
84.1
Delhi, IN 98.6
77.1
Dhaka, BD 83.3
46.6
Ulaanbaatar, MN 62
46.5
Kabul, AF 58.8
Doha, QA** 0 44.3

43.5
Bishkek, KG 33.2
42.5
Sarajevo, BA 34.1
39.7
Manama, BH 46.8
39.6
Jakarta, ID 49.4
39.2
Kathmandu, NP 48
39
Islamabad, PK 35.2
Bamako, ML** 0 37.9

37.9
Hanoi, VN 46.9
37.5
Beijing, CN 42.1

Note(s): Worldwide; 2019 and 2020

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 39.
10 Source(s): IQAir; ID 1135370 Air pollution
Average PM2.5 concentration of the most polluted cities in the world in 2020 (in micrograms per cubic meter of air)
Average PM2.5 levels in the most polluted cities worldwide 2020

PM2.5 concentration in µg/m³

0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Hotan, CN 110.2

Ghaziabad, IN 106.6

Bulandshahr, IN 98.4

Bisrakh Jalalpur, IN 96

Bhiwadi, IN 95.5

Noida, IN 94.3

Greater Noida, IN 89.5

Kanpur, IN 89.1

Lucknow, IN 86.2

Delhi, IN 84.1

Faridabad, IN 83.3

Meerut, IN 82.3

Jind, IN 81.6

Hisar, IN 81.1

Kashgar, CN 81

Note(s): Worldwide; 2020

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 40.
11 Source(s): IQAir; ID 1222702 Air pollution
Share of regional deaths attributable to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) generated by fossil fuel
combustion in 2018
Fossil fuel generated PM2.5 death rates worldwide by region 2018

Share of deaths

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Eastern Asia

Europe

Canada

United States

Central America and the Caribbean

South America

Western Asia and the Middle East

Africa

Australia and Oceania

Note(s): Worldwide; 2018

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 41.
12 Source(s): Harvard University; ID 1203032 Air pollution
Number of deaths attributable to air pollution exposure in 2019, by select country
Global deaths caused by air pollution 2019, by country

Number of deaths

0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 1,400,000 1,600,000 1,800,000 2,000,000
China 1,848,000

India 1,667,000

Pakistan 235,700

Nigeria 197,600

Indonesia 186,300

Bangladesh 173,500

Egypt 91,700

Russia 77,500

Ethiopia 77,000

Philippines 74,800

Myanmar 74,500

Vietnam 71,700

Brazil 60,900

United States 60,200

Japan 42,600

Note(s): Worldwide; 2019

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 42.
13 Source(s): IHME; Health Effects Institute; ID 830953 Air pollution
Damage due to particulate emissions as a percent of gross national income (GNI) worldwide in 1990 and 2019, by
select country
Global particulate emissions damage as a share of GNI 1990-2019, by select country

Percent of gross national income

1990 2019

0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6%
3.64%
Chad 5.65%
2.56%
Nigeria 5.63%
2.31%
Pakistan 5.67%
1.09%
India 3.69%
0.55%
Indonesia 1.4%
0.47%
South Africa 1.94%
0.45%
China 1.24%
0.32%
Vietnam 0.83%
0.23%
World 0.36%
0.21%
Turkey 0.71%
0.19%
Mexico 0.74%
0.17%
Brazil 0.78%
0.17%
Malaysia 0.29%
0.16%
Colombia 0.58%

Note(s): Worldwide; 1990 to 2019

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 43.
14 Source(s): World Bank; ID 564687 Air pollution
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WORLDWIDE

Water pollution
Lowest clean waters score worldwide as of 2019, by select country
Lowest clean waters scores worldwide 2019, by select country

Clean waters score

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Ghana 36

Cameroon 36

China 35

Bangladesh 34

Lebanon 33

Guatemala 32

Belgium 32

India 30

Israel 30

Slovenia 28

Kiribati 28

Nauru 24

Benin 24

Togo 21

Monaco 20

Note(s): Worldwide; 2019

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 44.
16 Source(s): Ocean Health Index; ID 1143428 Water pollution
Proportion of domestic wastewater flow safely treated worldwide in 2020, by region*
Global share of wastewater safely treated 2020, by region

Percent of wastewater safely treated

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Northern America and Europe 80%

Australia and New Zealand 79%

Eastern and South-Eastern Asia 65%

Western Asia and Northern Africa 63%

Latin America and the Caribbean 41%

Sub-Saharan Africa 28%

Central Asia and Southern Asia 25%

World 56%

Note(s): Worldwide; 2020

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 45.
17 Source(s): WHO; UNICEF; UN-Water; ID 746428 Water pollution
Volume of oil leaked from tanker incidents worldwide 1970 to 2020 (in metric tons)
Global oil tanker spills by volume 1970-2020

700,000

600,000

500,000
Quantity in metric tons

400,000

300,000

200,000

100,000

0
70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20
19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

Note(s): Worldwide
Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 46.
18 Source(s): ITOPF; ID 268557 Water pollution
Average annual number of large oil spills worldwide per decade from 1970 to 2020*
Annual average number of global oil spills per decade 1970-2020

30

25 24.5
Annual average number of spills

20

15

10 9.4
7.7

5
3.2
1.8
0
0
1970-1979 1980-1989 1990-1999 2000-2009 2010-2019 2020-2029**

Note(s): Worldwide
Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 47.
19 Source(s): ITOPF; ID 671539 Water pollution
Largest corporate water polluters in the U.S. in 2018, based on toxic hazard (in billions)*
Toxic hazard of largest water polluters in the U.S. 2018

Toxics released in million pounds

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180

Northrop Grumman 160.89

BASF 50.07

LyondellBasell 44.94

Dow Inc. 43.82

Celanese 15.38

Eastman Chemical 7.25

Honeywell International 5.6

Nutrien Ltd. 4.1

Duke Energy 3.95

Goodyear Tire & Rubber 2.95

Note(s): United States

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 48.
20 Source(s): University of Massachusetts (Political Economy Research Institute); Environmental Protection Agency; ID 799176 Water pollution
Mismanaged plastic waste generated by coastal populations worldwide in 2016, by select country (in million metric
tons)
Coastal mismanaged plastic waste generation worldwide 2016, by select country

Mismanaged plastic waste in million metric tons

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5
Indonesia 4.28

India 3.16

United States (upper bound)* 1.45

Thailand 1.16

China 1.07

Brazil 1.03

Philippines 1.01

Egypt 0.71

Japan 0.67

Russia 0.62

Vietnam 0.57

United States (lower bound)* 0.51

Bangladesh 0.36

Kuwait 0.35

Oman 0.35

Note(s): Worldwide; 2016

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 49.
21 Source(s): AAAS; Expert(s) (K. Lavender Law et al.); ID 1123047 Water pollution
Estimated quantities of plastic in major marine areas (in billion pieces)*
Quantity of plastic in major marine areas 2019

Quantity of plastic in billion pieces

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500

North Pacific 1,990

Indian Ocean 1,300

North Atlantic 930

South Pacific 491

South Atlantic 297

Mediterranean Sea 247

Note(s): Worldwide; 2019

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 50.
22 Source(s): Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung; ID 1165951 Water pollution
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WORLDWIDE

Land pollution
Size of largest landfills globally as of 2019 (in acres)
World's biggest dump sites 2019

Size in acres

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500

Apex Regional (Las Vegas, United States) 2,200

Bordo Poniente (Mexico City, Mexico)* 927

Laogang (Shanghai, China) 830

Malagrotta (Rome, Italy) 680

Landfill (location)

Puente Hills (Los Angeles, United States)* 630

Sudokwon (Incheon, South Korea) 570

Delhi Landfills (New Delhi, India) 500

Deonar (Mumbai, India) 326

West New Territories (Hong Kong) 272

Xinfeng (Guangzhou, China) 227

Note(s): Worldwide
Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 51.
24 Source(s): WorldAtlas; ID 530481 Land pollution
Annual volumes of waste disposed at the largest landfills worldwide as of 2021 (in million tons)
Waste disposal volumes per year at the largest landfills worldwide 2021

Waste volumes in million tons per year

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Sudokwon (Incheon, South Korea)* 6.9

Bordo Poniente (Mexico City, Mexico)** 4.4

Apex Regional (Las Vegas, United States) 3.8

Puente Hills (Los Angeles, United States)** 3.6

Landfill (location)

Lagos Dumpsite (Lagos, Nigeria) 3.3

Laogang (Shanghai, China) 3

Sao Joao Landfill (São Paulo, Brazil) 2.5

Xinfeng (Guangzhou, China)* 2.5

Malagrotta (Rome, Italy) 2.3

Delhi Landfills (New Delhi, India) 2.2

Mumbai Landfills (Mumbai, India)* 2

Note(s): Worldwide; 2021

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 52.
25 Source(s): Owlcation; ID 1252704 Land pollution
Daily volume of waste dumped at the largest landfills worldwide as of 2021 (in tons)
World's biggest dump sites by daily volume 2021

Waste volumes in tons per day

0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000

Sudokwon (Incheon, South Korea)* 20,000

Bordo Poniente (Mexico City, Mexico)** 12,000

Apex Regional (Las Vegas, United States) 10,500

Puente Hills (Los Angeles, United States)** 10,300

Landfill (location)

Laogang (Shanghai, China) 10,000

Lagos Dumpsite (Lagos, Nigeria) 9,000

Xinfeng (Guangzhou, China)* 8,000

Sao Joao Landfill (São Paulo, Brazil) 7,000

Mumbai Landfills (Mumbai, India)* 7,000

West New Territories (Hong Kong) 6,200

Delhi Landfills (New Delhi, India) 6,000

Malagrotta (Rome, Italy) 4,000

Note(s): Worldwide; 2021

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 53.
26 Source(s): Owlcation; ID 1252697 Land pollution
 Number of illegal dumps reported in Europe as of 2021, by country
Estimated number of illegal dumps in Europe 2021, by country

Number of illegal dumps

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000
Albania 9,046

8,334

Romania 7,173

3,370

Russia 2,644

2,244

Czechia 2,208

2,086

Italy 1,994

1,300

Poland 1,268

1,070

Spain 420

402

United Kingdom 401

Note(s): Europe; March 2021

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 54.
27 Source(s): TrashOut; ID 990529 Land pollution
Global demand for agricultural fertilizer by nutrient from 2011/2012 to 2021/2022 (in million metric tons)
Global fertilizer demand by nutrient 2011-2022

Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) Potassium oxide (K2O)

250

200

38.5 39.1
Demand in million metric tons

31.5 33 37.7 36.3 36.3

28 29.1 30.2 32
150
41.3 42 49.6 50
41.4 41.6 40.3 41 46.5 45.5 46.3

100

107.9 108.1 110.4 111.8 108 111 105.8 104.1 105.7 110 110.8
50

0
2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 2020/2021* 2021/2022**

Note(s): Worldwide; 2011 to 2022

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 55.
28 Source(s): International Fertilizer Industry Association; ID 438930 Land pollution
Global annual tree cover loss in 2020, by dominant driver (in million hectares)
Global tree cover loss by dominant driver 2020

Tree cover loss in million hectares

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Forestry 7.3

Shifting agriculture 6.5

Wildfire 5.05

Commodity driven deforestation 4.8

Unknown 1.8

Urbanization 0.15

Note(s): Worldwide; 2020; values based on original tree cover density greater than 30% in 2000.
Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 56.
29 Source(s): GFW; ID 1227308 Land pollution
Countries with the largest area of primary forest loss in 2020 (in hectares)
Global primary forest loss 2020, by key country

Forest loss in hectares

0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 1,400,000 1,600,000 1,800,000

Brazil 1,704,090

DR Congo 490,613

Bolivia 276,883

Indonesia 270,057

Peru 190,199

Colombia 166,485

Cameroon 100,295

Laos 82,240

Malaysia 72,977

Mexico 68,423

Note(s): Worldwide; 2020

Further information regarding this statistic can be found on page 57.
30 Source(s): GFW; WRI; ID 1254554 Land pollution
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WORLDWIDE

References
Most important environmental issues faced worldwide in 2020*
Global concerns about key environmental issues 2020

Description
Source and methodology information
This Ipsos survey indicates that 37 percent of respondents believed the most concerning environmental issue
Source(s) Ipsos facing the world is climate change. Air pollution was the second most important environmental issue around
the world, closely followed by the amount waste that is generated.
Conducted by Ipsos

Survey period February 21 to March 6, 2020

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents 20,590

Age group 16-74 years

Special characteristics 28 countries

Published by Ipsos

Publication date April 2020

Original source Earth Day 2019, pdf page 3

Website URL visit the website

Notes: * Original question: "In your view, what are the three most important
environmental issues facing [country] today? That is, the top environmental
issues you feel should receive the greatest attention from your local leaders?"
The top three issues were included.

Back to statistic

32 References
How concerned are you about product packaging and its impact on the following environmental issues?
Concerns about the environmental impacts of packaging worldwide 2020, by country

Description
Source and methodology information
Approximately 10,000 people across ten countries were asked how concerned they were about the
Source(s) McKinsey environmental impacts of product packaging. Those in developing countries were typically more concerned
about these impacts. In Brazil, 93 percent of respondents said they were extremely or very concerned about
Conducted by McKinsey water pollution caused by product packaging, while just 60 percent in Japan shared those concerns. In India and
and Indonesia, 80 percent and 83 percent of respondents were extremely or very concerned about marine
Survey period August 2020 litter, respectively. These two countries are responsible for millions of tons of mismanaged plastic waste ending
up in oceans every year. The U.S. is also one of the biggest contributors to marine litter, but just 67 percent of
Region(s) Worldwide respondents were very concerned over this environmental impact.
Number of respondents 10,000*

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by McKinsey

Publication date December 2020

Original source Sustainability in packaging: Inside the minds of global consumers, pg 4

Website URL visit the website

Notes: *Approximate number of participants, Share of respondents who indicated

they were "extremely" or "very" concerned.

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33 References
Historic average carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere worldwide from 1959 to 2020 (in parts per million)*
Global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide 1959-2020

Description
Source and methodology information
The atmospheric level of carbon dioxide has been steadily rising since the 1960's. In 2020, atmospheric carbon
Source(s) NOAA; ESRL dioxide levels reached 414.24 parts per million, in comparison to 1960 levels which stood at about 316 parts
per million. Emissions of carbon dioxide largely come from human activities such as burning fossil fuels and
Conducted by NOAA; ESRL deforestation.

Survey period 1959 to 2020

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by NOAA; ESRL

Publication date November 2021

Original source esrl.noaa.gov

Website URL visit the website

Notes: Data from March 1958 through April 1974 have been obtained by C. David
Keeling. CO2 expressed as a mole fraction in dry air, micromol/mol,
abbreviated as ppm. Data has been measured at Mauna Loa Observatory,
Hawaii as it constitutes the longest record of direct carbon dioxide
measurements in the atm [...] For more information visit our Website

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34 References
Average PM2.5 concentration of the most polluted countries in the world in 2019 and 2020* (in micrograms per
cubic meter of air)
Average PM2.5 levels in most polluted countries worldwide 2019-2020

Description
Source and methodology information
Bangladesh had an average PM2.5 concentration of 77.1 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3) in 2020,
Source(s) IQAir making it the most polluted country in the world. This was roughly 20 µg/m3 higher than in the second most
polluted country, Pakistan. The high levels of pollution in Bangladesh can be explained by the brick industry,
Conducted by IQAir with thousands of coal-fired kilns pumping out harmful pollutants following a construction industry boom. Many
countries around the world experienced improved air quality in 2020 compared to the previous year, mainly as
Survey period 2019 to 2020 a result of restrictions on economic activity and travel brought on by the outbreak of COVID-19.

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a. What are PM2.5 pollutants

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

PM2.5 refers to fine particles that have a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less. Major PM2.5 contributors include
Published by IQAir solid waste burning, vehicles, and power plants. These tiny, light, and inhalable pollutants can stay in the air for
long periods of time and are a major risk to human health when concentrations are high. The World Health
Publication date March 2021 Organization advises that annual mean PM2.5 concentrations should not exceed 10 µg/m3.

Original source 2020 World Air Quality Report, page 11

Website URL visit the website Pollution in cities

Notes: PM2. 5 refers to atmospheric particulate matter that have a diameter of less
than 2.5 micrometers *Figures for 2019 were taken from previous reports
**Data for previous year unavailable
Delhi is the most polluted capital city in the world , with concentrations averaging 98.6 µg/m3 in 2019. The
World Health Organization advises that annual mean PM2.5 concentrations should not exceed 10 µg/m3.
During peak lockdowns brought on by the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, many cities around the world
experienced reductions in PM2.5 concentrations . In the period of March 23rd to April 13th, 2020, PM2.5
emissions in Delhi fell by 60 percent compared to the same period in 2019.

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35 References
Oil tanker disasters by quantity of spilled oil from 1967 to 2020 (in metric tons)
Oil tanker disasters by quantity of spilled oil up to 2020

Description
Source and methodology information
During the ABT Summer oil tanker spill that occurred in 1991, some 260,000 metric tons of oil was spilled off of
Source(s) ITOPF the coast of Angola. At the time of the disaster, the vessel had serviced the maritime oil cargo industry for
almost 18 years.
Conducted by ITOPF

Survey period 1967 to 2020

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by ITOPF

Publication date January 2021

Original source Oil Tanker Spill Statistics 2020, page 13

Website URL visit the website

Notes: * The only spill of non-persistent oil. The acronym ITOPF stands for The
International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited.

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36 References
Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions worldwide from 1975 to 2021* (in billion metric tons)
Global CO2 emissions related to energy 1975-2021

Description
Source and methodology information
Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions totaled 31.5 billion metric tons in 2020. This was a reduction of
Source(s) IEA roughly six percent compared to the previous year, and the biggest annual reduction since World War 2.

Conducted by IEA

Survey period 1975 to 2021 Impacts of COVID-19 on the energy sector

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a. The dramatic reduction in emissions in 2020 was caused by the outbreak of COVID-19 and the strict lockdowns
and restrictions imposed worldwide. The energy sector was hit hard due to these restrictions as energy
Age group n.a.
demand plummeted. This led to considerable emissions reductions from transportation and power generation.
Coal - the most polluting of fossil fuels – saw its use in power production decline around the world. This was
Special characteristics n.a.
most noticeable in the U.S. and EU-27.
Published by IEA

Publication date April 2021

Atmospheric emissions
Original source iea.org

Website URL visit the website

Despite the sizeable drop in emissions observed in 2020, the global atmospheric concentration of carbon
Notes: *Figures prior to 1990 were compiled from previous editions. **Projection. dioxide reached a record-breaking high that year, at 414 parts per million. This is roughly 50 percent above pre-
industrial levels. There have been calls for a green recovery post-COVID-19 to continue reducing emissions.
One of the biggest polluters – the U.S. – has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and will be investing
billions of dollars on initiatives to fight climate change.

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37 References
Per capita nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in 2019, by select country (in kilograms)
Global per capita NOx emissions by key country 2019

Description
Source and methodology information
Australia had the highest per capita nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions of all OECD countries in 2019, at 107.7
Source(s) OECD kilograms per person. In comparison, NOx emissions in neighboring New Zealand were roughly 37 kilograms
per person. Switzerland had the lowest NOx emissions per capita of OECD countries at 6.9 kilograms per
Conducted by OECD person.

Survey period 2019

Region(s) OECD

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by OECD

Publication date October 2021

Original source stats.oecd.org

Website URL visit the website

Notes: Figures have been rounded

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38 References
Average PM2.5 concentration of the most polluted capital cities in the world in 2019 and 2020* (in micrograms per
cubic meter of air)
Average PM2.5 levels in the most polluted capital cities worldwide 2019-2020

Description
Source and methodology information
Delhi was the most polluted capital city in the world in 2020, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 84.1
Source(s) IQAir micrograms per cubic meter of air (μg/m³). PM2.5 particulate matter concentrations in the Indian capital were
almost 10 times higher than the World Health Organizations PM2.5 target of 10 μg/m³. The second most
Conducted by IQAir polluted capital city was Dhaka in Bangladesh. Many cities experienced reductions in PM2.5 pollution compared
to the previous year. This was mainly due restrictions on economic activity and travel brought on by the
Survey period 2019 and 2020 outbreak of COVID-19.

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a. Sources of PM2.5

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

PM2. 5 refers to atmospheric particulate matter that have a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers. There are
Published by IQAir many sources of PM2.5 emissions , including road transport, industrial activities, crop burning, and energy
industries. Domestic combustion, such as burning wood for fuel, is also a major source of PM2.5 emissions.
Publication date March 2021 PM2.5 concentrations differ greatly around the world, though the highest levels are typically found in
developing countries. In comparison, PM2.5 levels in European capitals are considerably lower.
Original source 2020 World Air Quality Report, page 12

Website URL visit the website

Health impacts of air pollution
Notes: PM2. 5 refers to atmospheric particulate matter that have a diameter of less
than 2.5 micrometers*Figures for 2019 were taken from previous
reports**Data for previous year unavailable
Exposure to levels of PM2.5 of 55.5 to 150.4 μg/m³ is considered unhealthy, increasing the likelihood of heart
and lung problems. Air pollution is one of the leading causes of premature deaths worldwide, cutting millions of
lives short every year. This is especially the case in Asia, although the impacts of these pollutants are felt
everywhere. In the United States, it is estimated that 13 percent of adult deaths are attributable to fine
particulate matter generated by fossil fuel combustion.

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39 References
Average PM2.5 concentration of the most polluted cities in the world in 2020 (in micrograms per cubic meter of air)
Average PM2.5 levels in the most polluted cities worldwide 2020

Description
Source and methodology information
The city of Hotan in southwestern China had the highest average PM2.5 concentration in the world in 2020, at
Source(s) IQAir
110.2 micrograms per cubic meter of air (μg/m³). Hotan is located at the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, which
Conducted by IQAir affects air quality in the city due to frequent dust storms. The majority of the most polluted cities in the world
were located in India during 2020, with Delhi averaging 84.1 μg/m³. This made it the most polluted capital city in
Survey period 2020 the world .

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by IQAir

Publication date March 2021

Original source 2020 World Air Quality Report

Website URL visit the website

Notes: PM2.5 refers to atmospheric particulate matter that have a diameter of less
than 2.5 micrometers.

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40 References
Share of regional deaths attributable to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) generated by fossil fuel
combustion in 2018
Fossil fuel generated PM2.5 death rates worldwide by region 2018

Description
Source and methodology information
Air pollution produced by fossil fuel combustion is a major hazard to human health, and was responsible for an
Source(s) Harvard University estimated 8.7 million premature deaths worldwide in 2018. Death rates was especially high in Eastern Asia,
where an average of 30.7 percent of adult deaths were attributable to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) generated
Conducted by Harvard University by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal. In China and India there were an estimated 3.9 million and 2.5 million
deaths attributable to fossil-fuel related PM2.5. Regions with high levels of air pollution from fossil fuel
Survey period 2018 combustion have higher mortality rates than in regions such as Africa and South America.

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by The Guardian

Publication date February 2021

Original source theguardian.com

Website URL visit the website

Notes: n.a.

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41 References
Number of deaths attributable to air pollution exposure in 2019, by select country
Global deaths caused by air pollution 2019, by country

Description
Source and methodology information
Almost two million deaths were attributable to air pollution exposure in both China and India in 2019. Two of
Source(s) IHME; Health Effects Institute the most harmful air pollutants to human health are nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter. Exposure to
ambient particulate matter pollution is responsible for many deaths every year.
Conducted by IHME; Health Effects Institute

Survey period 2019

Where is pollution the highest?
Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Delhi was once again the most polluted capital city in the world in 2019. The concentration of PM2.5 particulate
Age group n.a.
matter in the Indian capital averaged 98.6 micrograms per cubic meter of air (μg/m³). This is well above the 10
μg/m³ limit set by the World Health Organization. On average, the most polluted country in the world is
Special characteristics n.a.
Bangladesh, which is home to the second most polluted capital city - Dhaka.
Published by IHME; Health Effects Institute

Publication date October 2020

Sources of pollution
Original source stateofglobalair.org

Website URL visit the website

One of the main causes of particulate pollution in Bangladesh is the brick industry, and its many coal-fired kilns.
Notes: n.a. Fossil fuel combustion is a major cause of air pollution and is produced from a number of sources such as
power plants and industrial facilities. However, the main cause of air pollution in urban areas is transportation
emissions .

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42 References
Damage due to particulate emissions as a percent of gross national income (GNI) worldwide in 1990 and 2019, by
select country
Global particulate emissions damage as a share of GNI 1990-2019, by select country

Description
Source and methodology information
Particulate emission damage as a share of gross national income (GNI) is noticeably higher in developing
Source(s) World Bank countries than developed countries. Particulate emission damage as a share of Chad's GNI was reported at 3.64
percent in 2019. This was well above the world average of 0.23 percent.
Conducted by World Bank

Survey period 1990 to 2019

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by World Bank

Publication date July 2021

Original source data.worldbank.org

Website URL visit the website

Notes: GNI: Gross National Income Particulate emissions damage is the damage due
to exposure of a country's population to ambient concentrations of
particulates measuring less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5), ambient
ozone pollution, and indoor concentrations of PM2.5 in households cooking
with solid [...] For more information visit our Website

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43 References
Lowest clean waters score worldwide as of 2019, by select country
Lowest clean waters scores worldwide 2019, by select country

Description
Source and methodology information
The country with the lowest clean water score worldwide in 2019 was Monaco, with a score of just 20 out of
Source(s) Ocean Health Index 100. This was more than 70 points lower than the clean water score in Canada, which had the highest clean
waters score worldwide . Other countries that had high levels of pollutants in estuarine, coastal, and open
Conducted by Ocean Health Index ocean waters that year were Togo, India, and China. Low clean water scores were typically recorded in
developing nations.
Survey period 2019

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by Ocean Health Index

Publication date February 2021

Original source oceanhealthindex.org

Website URL visit the website

Notes: The clean water index measures pollution by chemicals, excessive nutrients,
human pathogens and trash in estuarine, coastal, and open ocean waters.
Clean waters target is 70 out of 100. The reference point is that there should
be zero pollution from chemicals, nutrient, human pathogens and trash. Th
[...] For more information visit our Website

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44 References
Proportion of domestic wastewater flow safely treated worldwide in 2020, by region*
Global share of wastewater safely treated 2020, by region

Description
Source and methodology information
Globally, 44 percent of wastewater flow generated by households was not safely treated in 2020. There are
Source(s) WHO; UNICEF; UN-Water considerable regional disparities for wastewater treatment worldwide. 80 percent of household wastewater flow
is treated safely in North America and Europe, but less than 30 percent is treated safely in Sub-Saharan Africa
Conducted by WHO; UNICEF; UN-Water and Central and Southern Asia.

Survey period 2020

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by WHO; UNICEF; UN-Water

Publication date July 2021

Original source Summary Progress Update 2021: SDG 6 - water and sanitation for all,
page 37 to 49

Website URL visit the website

Notes: *treated by secondary or higher processes or with effluent discharges meeting

relevant standards.

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45 References
Volume of oil leaked from tanker incidents worldwide 1970 to 2020 (in metric tons)
Global oil tanker spills by volume 1970-2020

Description
Source and methodology information
The amount of oil spilled from oil tankers worldwide was approximately 1,000 metric tons in 2020. Two years
Source(s) ITOPF previous, a total of 116,000 metric tons of oil was leaked from oil tanker incidents, the largest quantity leaked in
24 years. Most of the quantity leaked in 2018 was attributable to the incident involving the MT Sanchi in the East
Conducted by ITOPF China Sea. Since the 1970's and 1980's, the average annual amount of oil spilled from tankers has decreased
significantly.
Survey period 1970 to 2020

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by ITOPF

Publication date January 2021

Original source Oil tanker spill statistics 2020, page 11

Website URL visit the website

Notes: n.a.

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46 References
Average annual number of large oil spills worldwide per decade from 1970 to 2020*
Annual average number of global oil spills per decade 1970-2020

Description
Source and methodology information
There was an average of 1.8 large oil spills from tanker incidents every year in the decade from 2010 to 2019. So
Source(s) ITOPF far for 2020, there have been no noted oil spills in which more than 700 metric tons of oil was leaked. In the
years since the 1970's the number of oil tanker spills has been notably reduced. In the 1970’s there were often
Conducted by ITOPF in excess of 20 large oil spills per year.

Survey period 1970 to 2020

Region(s) Worldwide Largest ever oil spills

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

The Gulf war oil spill in January 1991 is the largest global oil spill to ever take place since commercial drilling took
off. An estimated 380 to 520 million gallons of oil were intentionally dumped into the ocean by the Iraqi
Special characteristics n.a.
government, which had invaded Kuwait and was trying to prevent the arrival of a UN-coalition navy force. The
Published by ITOPF second largest oil spill is also one of the more recent disasters, the Deepwater Horizon wellhead blowout in
2010. Over 200 million gallons of oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico, while 11 people were killed in the
Publication date January 2021 accident.

Original source Oil tanker spill statistics 2020, page 8-9

Website URL visit the website Oil tanker spill causes

Notes: * Average annual number of global oil spills larger than 700 tons of oil. ** As
of 2020.
Oil tankers are the prevailing means of transporting the commodity over distances greater than can be covered
by pipelines. Running aground is the most common cause of large oil spills from tankers . 32 percent of large oil
tanker spills occurring between 1970 and 2020 were due to grounding.

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47 References
Largest corporate water polluters in the U.S. in 2018, based on toxic hazard (in billions)*
Toxic hazard of largest water polluters in the U.S. 2018

Description
Source and methodology information
With a Toxic hazard of 160.89 billion, Northdrop Grumman was the largest corporate water polluter in the
Source(s) University of Massachusetts (Political Economy Research Institute); United States in 2018. This was followed by BASF, with a hazard of 50.1 billion. Toxic hazard is based on toxics
Environmental Protection Agency released multiplied by toxicity.

Conducted by Environmental Protection Agency

Survey period 2017

Region(s) United States

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by University of Massachusetts (Political Economy Research Institute)

Publication date February 2021

Original source peri.umass.edu

Website URL visit the website

Notes: *Pounds released directly to surface water plus pounds transferred to POTWs
multiplied by chemical-specific toxicity weights. Sources: (1) pounds released
and transferred: US EPA's Toxics Release Inventory, 2018 Scores have been
rounded

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48 References
Mismanaged plastic waste generated by coastal populations worldwide in 2016, by select country (in million metric
tons)
Coastal mismanaged plastic waste generation worldwide 2016, by select country

Description
Source and methodology information
Huge quantities of mismanaged plastic waste make their way into marine environments every year, causing
Source(s) AAAS; Expert(s) (K. Lavender Law et al.) devastating pollution. This can be from littering, illegal dumping, and inadequate waste management. It is
estimated that in 2016, the coastal population of the United States (117.94 million) generated as much as 1.45
Conducted by AAAS; Expert(s) (K. Lavender Law et al.) million metric tons of mismanaged plastic waste. This was one of the highest in the world, behind only India and
Indonesia.
Survey period 2016

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by AAAS

Publication date October 2020

Original source The United States` contribution of plastic waste to land and ocean, Table
3

Website URL visit the website

Notes: * The source adds the following information: "The two U.S. estimates provide
lower and upper bounds reflecting contributions from domestic litter (0.31
Mt), domestic illegal dumping (0.05 to 0.15 Mt), and inadequate management
of plastic waste generated during the processing of imported U.S. plastic [...]
For more information visit our Website

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49 References
Estimated quantities of plastic in major marine areas (in billion pieces)*
Quantity of plastic in major marine areas 2019

Description
Source and methodology information
It is estimated that almost two trillion pieces of plastic are in the North Pacific Ocean. This is the largest quantity
Source(s) Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung of plastic compared to other major marine areas. Much of this is made up of microplastics.

Conducted by Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung

Survey period 2019

Region(s) Worldwide Microplastics can come from a variety of sources, such as car tires, city dust and synthetic textiles. These make
their way into water sources around the world, causing harm to marine life.
Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung

Publication date December 2020

Original source Plastic Atlas 2020, page 29

Website URL visit the website

Notes: *Figures are estimates and have been rounded.

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50 References
Size of largest landfills globally as of 2019 (in acres)
World's biggest dump sites 2019

Description
Source and methodology information
This statistic provides a ranking of some of the world's largest dump sites as of 2019. During this year, the Apex
Source(s) WorldAtlas Regional Landfill in Las Vegas, United States covered about 2,200 acres of land. It is projected to have a lifetime
of 250 years and holds about 50 million tons of waste as the largest landfill in the United States.
Conducted by WorldAtlas

Survey period 2019

Global dumpsites – additional information
Region(s) Worldwide
It is estimated that almost half of the world’s population does not have access to basic waste collection and
Number of respondents n.a. disposal services. A large portion of the world’s generated waste is disposed of improperly on open dumpsites,
which are especially common in low-income countries. These unregulated landfills are often close to urban
Age group n.a.
areas, with an estimated 60 million people living less than 10 kilometers away from the 50 largest dumpsites in
the world, implicating potentially severe health and environmental impacts. Diarrheal diseases, low birth
Special characteristics n.a.
weights, and some cancers have been linked to extended proximity to landfills. Pollution due to open burning
Published by WorldAtlas and ground water contamination are commonly reported from large unregulated sites.

Publication date March 2019

Original source worldatlas.com Among the 50 largest dumpsites in the world, twenty of them have both municipal solid waste and hazardous
waste dumped within . The Estrutural landfill in Brasilia, Brazil is one of the largest municipal waste landfills in
Website URL visit the website the world, spanning some 136 hectares. This landfill has been active for over 50 years with an estimated 30
million metric tons of waste. The site receives about 2 million metric tons of waste per day. There have been
Notes: * Bordo Poniente was closed in December 2011. Puente Hills was closed in many accidents and deaths reported at the dumpsite as there are about 2,700 informal waste pickers who
October 2013. collect recyclable materials from the disposed waste.

Landfills in the United States are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency and must be designed to
protect the environment from potential contaminants in the waste stream. The United States has about 1,270
landfills, with over 300 landfills in the West .

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51 References
Annual volumes of waste disposed at the largest landfills worldwide as of 2021 (in million tons)
Waste disposal volumes per year at the largest landfills worldwide 2021

Description
Source and methodology information
Millions of tons of waste are sent the world's largest landfills every year. Approximately 6.9 million tons of waste
Source(s) Owlcation is sent to the Sudokwon landfill site in South Korea every year, which is more than any other landfill site
worldwide. The Apex Regional landfill site in Las Vegas is the largest landfill site in world by area, and every year
Conducted by Owlcation it receives 3.8 million tons of waste.

Survey period 2021

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by Owlcation

Publication date February 2021

Original source owlcation.com

Website URL visit the website

Notes: *Sudokwon Landfill - 18,000-20,000 tons per day; Laogang Landfill - 6,000-
10,000 tons per day; Xingfeng Landfill - 6,000-8,000 tons per day; Mumbai
Landfills - 4,000-7,000 tons per day. **Bordo Poniente was closed in
December 2011. Puente Hills was closed in October 2013.

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52 References
Daily volume of waste dumped at the largest landfills worldwide as of 2021 (in tons)
World's biggest dump sites by daily volume 2021

Description
Source and methodology information
Thousands of tons of waste are sent to the world's largest landfills every day. The Sudokwon landfill site in
Source(s) Owlcation South Korea receives up to 20,000 tons of waste per day, which is more than any other landfill site worldwide.
The Apex Regional landfill site in Las Vegas is the largest landfill site in world by area, and every day more than
Conducted by Owlcation 10,000 tons of waste is dumped there.

Survey period 2021

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by Owlcation

Publication date February 2021

Original source owlcation.com

Website URL visit the website

Notes: *Sudokwon Landfill - 18,000-20,000 tons per day; Laogang Landfill - 6,000-
10,000 tons per day; Xingfeng Landfill - 6,000-8,000 tons per day; Mumbai
Landfills - 4,000-7,000 tons per day. **Bordo Poniente was closed in
December 2011. Puente Hills was closed in October 2013.

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53 References
Number of illegal dumps reported in Europe as of 2021, by country
Estimated number of illegal dumps in Europe 2021, by country

Description
Source and methodology information
Waste is illegally dumped at thousands of sites across Europe. There were more than 9,000 illegal dumps
Source(s) TrashOut reported in Albania as of 2021. This was followed by Slovakia and Romania, which had 8,334 and 7,173 illegal
dumps, respectively. Romania disposes of the most non-hazardous waste into landfills in the European Union.
Conducted by TrashOut Open dumps and landfills are the most common waste disposal methods worldwide .

Survey period March 2021

Region(s) Europe

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by TrashOut

Publication date March 2021

Original source trashout.ngo

Website URL visit the website

Notes: The ranking does not show European countries with less than ten estimated
illegal dumps.

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54 References
Global demand for agricultural fertilizer by nutrient from 2011/2012 to 2021/2022 (in million metric tons)
Global fertilizer demand by nutrient 2011-2022

Description
Source and methodology information
This statistic displays the global demand for fertilizer by nutrient from 2011/2012 to 2021/2021. In 2021/2021,
Source(s) International Fertilizer Industry Association the total global demand for fertilizers is expected to reach some 200 million metric tons. As of 2021, increasing
crop prices lead to increased fertilizer demands and has been especially noted in recent years.
Conducted by International Fertilizer Industry Association

Survey period 2011 to 2022

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by International Fertilizer Industry Association

Publication date August 2021

Original source IFA Medium-Term Fertilizer Outlook 2021-2025, page 4

Website URL visit the website

Notes: * Estimate. ** Forecast. This statistic was assembled from several reports
from the source.

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55 References
Global annual tree cover loss in 2020, by dominant driver (in million hectares)
Global tree cover loss by dominant driver 2020

Description
Source and methodology information
As of 2020, global annual tree cover loss was the highest due to forestry activities - large-scale forestry
Source(s) GFW operations occurring within managed forests and tree plantations. Losses followed this through shifting
agriculture, where small to medium-scale forest and shrubland conversion for agriculture are later abandoned
Conducted by GFW and followed by subsequent forest regrowth.

Survey period 2020

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics values based on original tree cover density greater than 30% in 2000.

Published by GFW

Publication date April 2021

Original source globalforestwatch.org

Website URL visit the website

Notes: The release date is the date the data was accessed. The source adds the
following information: "tree cover loss" is not the same as "deforestation" - tree
cover loss includes change in both natural and planted forest, and does not
need to be human caused. Tree cover loss from shifting agriculture re [...] For
more information visit our Website

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56 References
Countries with the largest area of primary forest loss in 2020 (in hectares)
Global primary forest loss 2020, by key country

Description
Source and methodology information
In 2020, the largest area of primary forest loss worldwide occurred in Brazil at 1.7 million hectares. Primary
Source(s) GFW; WRI forest loss in Brazil was considerably higher than in any other country that year. Monthly deforestation in the
Amazon rainforest climbed to 1,499 square kilometers in August 2020. Clearings in the Brazilian Amazon soared
Conducted by GFW; WRI in 2020 as illegal loggers exploited the country's COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

Survey period 2020

Region(s) Worldwide

Number of respondents n.a.

Age group n.a.

Special characteristics n.a.

Published by WRI

Publication date January 2021

Original source research.wri.org

Website URL visit the website

Notes: n.a.

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57 References