Jakarta's Air Among the World's Six Worst This Morning

Jakarta’s air quality deteriorated again on Tuesday morning (19 May 2026). According to IQAir’s air-monitoring data as cited by Kompas.com, the capital ranked sixth among the world’s most polluted cities at 08:00 Western Indonesia Time (WIB). The Air Quality Index (AQI) for Jakarta stood at 137, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at 44 micrograms per cubic metre. At this level, Jakarta’s air quality falls into the unhealthy for sensitive groups category, affecting children, the elderly and residents with respiratory conditions.

In the list of the world’s most polluted cities, Lahore topped the ranking with an AQI of 300, followed by Kampala in Uganda at 169 and Delhi, India at 164.

Against this backdrop, the Jakarta Provincial Government is preparing rapid measures to face potential increases in air pollution during the dry season, which is expected to last until August 2026. The planned efforts include strengthening the air-quality monitoring system and increasing the implementation of motor-vehicle emissions testing. The provincial government notes that controlling air pollution cannot be done by Jakarta alone and requires cross-regional cooperation within the Jabodetabek metropolitan area.