To All News The Almaty Air Initiative Foundation has completed its analysis of Almaty’s air quality for 2024. The report presents key pollution indicators, a comparison with 2023, and trends over the past year. This overview helps residents better understand the environmental situation and its impact on health.
Key Findings
Air in Almaty: PM2.5 concentrations nearly 5 times above WHO guidelines
In 2024, the annual average PM2.5 concentration in Almaty exceeded WHO standards by almost fivefold. A slight improvement was recorded (–6 µg/m³ compared to 2023), mainly due to cleaner air observed at the beginning and middle of the year.
When it is better not to breathe
From November to February, air quality remained “unhealthy” in both 2023 and 2024. In December 2024, pollution levels (50.6 µg/m³) exceeded December 2023 values (46.7 µg/m³) by approximately 10%.
164 clean days per year
In 2024, the number of days meeting WHO air-quality standards (PM2.5 < 15 µg/m³) increased from 137 to 164. The main improvement occurred in summer — from May to August — with 22 additional clean days. Other seasons showed no significant change.
Dirtiest days of the year
Top 3 most polluted days:
- 6 February: PM2.5 reached 114 µg/m³ — 7.6 times above WHO limits
- 25 December: 106 µg/m³
- 26 December: 102 µg/m³
Summer air is five times cleaner than winter air
Summer 2024 was the cleanest period, with average PM2.5 levels of 11.5 µg/m³.
In winter (December–February), pollution reached its peak — 49.9 µg/m³, five times higher than in summer.
Residents of southern districts breathe clean air twice as often
The highest pollution levels were recorded in the northeastern districts (Zhetysu and Turksib), where annual PM2.5 averaged 31.2 µg/m³.
Southern districts (Medeu, Bostandyk) remained comparatively cleaner, at 16.1 µg/m³, which is twice as low as in the northeastern part of the city.
“On January 14, Almaty topped IQAir’s global ranking of the most polluted cities in the world. Clean air begins with transparent data, and now every resident can see the full picture not only ‘in the moment’ but across the entire year. For the first time, we are publishing an annual air-quality report based on Clarity sensor data. Regular reporting helps people understand environmental conditions and make informed decisions to protect themselves and their families,” said Zhuldyz Saulebekova, Head of Almaty Air Initiative.
The full version of the report is available on our website. You can access it via this link.