See our Urban Air Quality Explorer website for interactive data visualizations and data downloads
May 2025 update: Two versions of the data are now available. If you have questions, trouble accessing the website, have suggestions for improved accessibility, or would like to collaborate, email Susan at sanenberg@gwu.edu.
Version 2 (2025):
Estimates of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) concentrations and fossil fuel CO2 emissions in >13,000 urban areas globally from 2000-2020. Methods are consistent with the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study, to the extent possible. Disease burdens are forthcoming in future work.
Kim, S.-Y., G.H. Kerr, A. van Donkelaar, R.V. Martin, J.J. West, S.C. Anenberg (2025) Tracking air pollution and CO2 emissions in 13,189 urban areas worldwide using large geospatial datasets. Communications Earth & Environment, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02270-9.
Read the policy brief and access the code behind this paper.
Version 1 (2022):
Estimates of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) concentrations and associated disease burdens in >13,000 urban areas globally from 2000-2019. Methods are consistent with the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study, to the extent possible.
Southerland, V.A., S.C. Anenberg, M. Brauer, A. Mohegh, M. Hammer, R. Martin, A. van Donkelaar, J. Apte (2022) Global urban temporal trends in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and attributable health burdens: estimates from global datasets. Lancet Planetary Health, https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00350-8.
Anenberg, S.C., A. Mohegh, D.L. Goldberg, G.H. Kerr, M. Brauer, K. Burkart, P. Hystad, A. Larkin, S. Wozniak, L. Lamsal (2022) Long-term trends in urban NO2 concentrations and associated pediatric asthma cases: estimates from global datasets. Lancet Planetary Health, https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00255-2. (Anenberg and Mohegh contributed equally)
Malashock, D., M.N. DeLang, J.S. Becker, M.L. Serre, J.J. West, K.-L. Chang, O.R. Cooper, S.C. Anenberg (2022) Trends in ozone concentration and attributable mortality for urban, peri-urban, and rural areas worldwide between 2000 and 2019: Estimates from global datasets. Lancet Planetary Health, https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(22)00260-1.