16.10.2025 10:25
According to data from the Clean Air Rights Platform, air pollution-related deaths in Turkey exceeded 62,000 in 2024, resulting in an annual economic burden of $138 billion for the country. The three cities with the most polluted air were Iğdır, Erzincan, and Kütahya, while air pollution in Istanbul and Ankara remained at "sensitive" levels.
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According to the "Black Report 2025" published by the Clean Air Rights Platform (THHP), air pollution-related deaths in Turkey exceeded 62,000 in 2024. The report stated that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution imposes an annual burden of 138 billion dollars on the country's economy, which corresponds to approximately 10% of the 2024 gross domestic product (GDP).
THE THREE MOST POLLUTED CITIES: IGDIR, ERZINCAN, AND KUTAHYA
According to the report, there were no provinces in Turkey with good air quality in 2024. The most polluted provinces were ranked as Iğdır, Erzincan, and Kütahya. In terms of particulate matter pollution, Osmaniye, Iğdır, and Malatya also ranked among the provinces with the highest values. The main sources of pollution were identified as traffic, industrial facilities, and thermal power plants.
It was found that in particularly industrialized regions, the public breathed unhealthy air for more than 70% of the year. In Osmaniye, the average PM2.5 value was measured at 83.6 µg/m³ throughout 2024, which is more than five times the upper limit recommended by the World Health Organization and more than twice the legal limit in Turkey.
THE AIR IN ISTANBUL AND ANKARA IS AT 'SENSITIVE' LEVELS
Air pollution in Istanbul and Ankara remained at "sensitive" levels throughout 2024. It was reported that due to the Cebeci stone quarries in the Sultangazi district of Istanbul, the public breathed polluted air for 263 days of the year. In Izmir, however, sufficient data could not be obtained from the stations affiliated with the Ministry, so air quality could not be fully assessed.
THE PROVINCE WITH THE HIGHEST MORTALITY RATE DUE TO AIR POLLUTION
In 2024, the province with the highest mortality rate due to air pollution was Osmaniye (33.8%), while the provinces with the highest numerical total of deaths were Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, and Ankara. PM2.5 air pollution is one of the most significant preventable causes of death in Turkey.
MORE THAN 62,000 PEOPLE DIED DUE TO AIR POLLUTION
The health effects of air pollution were also highlighted with striking data. It was calculated that 63,851 and 62,644 premature deaths in Turkey in 2023 and 2024, respectively, were attributed to PM2.5 pollution. This corresponds to approximately 13% of all deaths in the population over 30 years old.
41.3% of deaths related to COPD, 27.7% of deaths from heart diseases, 27.4% of stroke cases, and 18.6% of lung cancer deaths were associated with air pollution. Additionally, it was noted that the risk of dementia increased by 8%.
"IF AIR QUALITY DROPS TO WHO LEVELS, 60,000 LIVES COULD BE SAVED"
Prof. Dr. Çiğdem Çağlayan, a member of the Executive Board of the Clean Air Rights Platform and a representative of the Association of Physicians for the Environment, stated, "If the PM2.5 level could be reduced to the annual average of 5 µg/m³ recommended by the World Health Organization, more than 60,000 deaths could be prevented each year."
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