Jakarta's Air Quality Is The Sixth Worst In The World, DLH Targets Add 1,000 Monitoring Sensors

JAKARTA Air quality in DKI Jakarta is again in the spotlight. Based on data from the IQAir air quality monitoring site on Wednesday morning, June 11, 2025, Jakarta ranks sixth in the city with the worst air quality in the world.

Monitoring at 05.45 WIB noted that the Jakarta Air Quality Index (AQI) was at 129. This figure is included in the "unhealthy" category, with a fairly high concentration of fine particles (PM2.5).

For comparison, the city with the worst air quality in the world today is Delhi, India, with AQI reaching 218. In second place is Munich, Germany (199), and in third place Bagdad, Iraq (139). Jakarta ranks sixth, following other major cities.

Responding to this condition, the DKI Jakarta Environmental Agency (DLH) stated that it would improve the air pollution monitoring and handling system. Head of DLH DKI Jakarta Asep Kuswanto said that Jakarta would imitate the strategy of several major cities in dealing with air quality problems.

Learning from other cities, Bangkok has 1,000 air quality monitoring stations (SPKU), Paris has 400 SPKUs. Jakarta currently has 111 SPKUs, from previously only five units. In the future, we will increase the number in order to intervene more quickly and accurately," said Asep.

He also emphasized the importance of data disclosure in efforts to deal with air pollution. According to him, data transparency will help the public understand air conditions in real-time, and make it easier for the government to take appropriate intervention steps.

"What is needed is not only temporary intervention, but continuous and extraordinary steps in dealing with air pollution," added Asep.

DLH targets the addition of up to 1,000 units of low-cost air quality sensors in the near future. This step is expected to expand monitoring coverage and provide a more accurate picture of air conditions at various points in Jakarta.

With efforts to improve the monitoring and more open policy system, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government hopes to significantly reduce the level of air pollution in a sustainable time.