Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Switzerland
Switzerland: Exposure to air pollution from human sources was 8.31 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024. ▼ Falling
Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Switzerland, 1998–2024
Source: Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
The most recent figure for exposure to air pollution from human sources in Switzerland is 8.31 micrograms per cubic meter, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to air pollution from human sources in Switzerland peaked at 16.63 micrograms per cubic meter in 2003 and was at its lowest, 8.24 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2020.
Switzerland ranks 151st of 240 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 27 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.92 micrograms per cubic meter | 14.69 micrograms per cubic meter | 15.15 micrograms per cubic meter | 2 |
| 2000s | 14.16 micrograms per cubic meter | 12.57 micrograms per cubic meter | 16.63 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.49 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.74 micrograms per cubic meter | 14.48 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.46 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.24 micrograms per cubic meter | 8.74 micrograms per cubic meter | 5 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More environment data for Switzerland
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 42.99 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 4.77 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 4.05 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.2549 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 1.29 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0203 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 5.94 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0476 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0228 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 0.2474 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to air pollution from human sources in Switzerland?
- Exposure to air pollution from human sources in Switzerland was 8.31 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024, according to Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 16.63 micrograms per cubic meter in 2003.
- What is the lowest exposure to air pollution from human sources recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.24 micrograms per cubic meter in 2020.
- How does Switzerland rank for exposure to air pollution from human sources?
- Switzerland ranks 151st out of 240 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to air pollution from human sources rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Exposure to air pollution from human sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual population-weighted average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air, measured in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, which can pose significant health risks. This data excludes natural sources of PM2.5, such as dust and sea salt, to focus on human-caused pollution.