June 5, 2026 | 10:51 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta's air quality deteriorated to an unhealthy level on Friday morning, ranking the Indonesian capital as the second most polluted city in the world, according to air quality monitoring platform IQAir.As of 06:17 AM local time, Jakarta recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 172, placing it in the "unhealthy" category. The city registered a PM2.5 concentration of 95 micrograms per cubic meter, significantly exceeding levels considered safe for public health.An AQI in this range is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, older adults, and individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. Elevated pollution levels can also affect sensitive animal species and damage vegetation.IQAir advised residents to limit outdoor activities, wear masks when outside, and keep windows closed to reduce exposure to polluted air.Under AQI standards, air quality is classified as "good" when PM2.5 levels range from 0 to 50, posing little or no health risk.A "moderate" rating, ranging from 51 to 100, generally does not affect human health but may impact sensitive plants. Air quality is considered "very unhealthy" when AQI levels reach 200–299, while readings above 300 are classified as "hazardous" and can pose serious health risks to the general population.Jakarta ranked behind Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which recorded an AQI of 179. Kathmandu, Nepal, ranked third with an AQI of 140, followed by Wuhan, China, at 137 and Kampala, Uganda, at 128.Meanwhile, the Jakarta provincial government is preparing measures to tackle air pollution during the dry season, which is expected to run through August.The planned response includes improving the city's air quality monitoring system and intensifying vehicle emissions testing.The administration is also reviewing its Air Pollution Control Strategy (SPPU), evaluating factors such as PM2.5 trends, sectoral emissions, and the public health impacts of pollution.According to the Jakarta administration, air pollution cannot be effectively addressed by a single jurisdiction alone. It has called for stronger coordination among local government agencies and greater cross-regional collaboration with neighboring areas surrounding the capital.Read: BMKG: Jakarta to See Partly Cloudy Skies All Day
