One of the world’s wealthiest cities is enduring the world’s most polluted air. Here’s why

Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images

Singapore, one of the wealthiest cities in the world, has become the most polluted on the planet as it chokes under a blanket of thick, toxic smog caused by fires in neighboring Indonesia.

Pollution has cast a pall on the city-state as it gets ready to host a packed weekend of marquee events ranging from international conferences to the glitzy Formula One Grand Prix night race.

Air quality in the city-state was at the “very unhealthy” range with an air quality index (AQI) of 216 Friday mid-morning, according to Swiss air quality monitor IQAir.

The financial hub topped the list of most polluted cities by IQAir this week and was still at the top spot Friday morning. Kuala Lumpur, also deeply affected by the Indonesian fires, was at number two.

Singapore’s skyline, including Marina Bay Sands and other skyscrapers were reduced to faint silhouettes amid the pollution.

The key Asian financial hub – with a population of 6.21 million and annual GDP of more than $650 billion – and neighboring Malaysia have had to endure the haze almost annually.

Fires in Indonesia are an annual event during the country’s dry season when huge stretches of peatland are cleared and drained for commercial plantations, including those that produce palm oil, an ingredient used in a slew of products from noodles to toothpaste.

But this year, the arrival of what’s expected to be a “super” El Niño — a supercharged version of the natural climate pattern which tends to bring bone dry conditions to the country — has set the stage for unusually intense blazes.

In an update on its website Thursday, Singapore’s National Environment Agency said “moderate to dense smoke plumes from southern and central Sumatra and West Kalimantan were observed to drift towards Singapore,” referring to Indonesian regions.

“Under the prevailing southeasterly or southerly winds, smoke haze may continue to drift towards Singapore,” it added.

Entertainment events held outdoors at the F1 event in Singapore could potentially be affected but not the race itself, the motorsport’s governing FIA said Thursday, according to Reuters. On Friday, race organizer Singapore GP told CNN “there are currently no plans to modify our entertainment activities” at the event.

Acts to entertain F1 spectators include Janet Jackson and The Killers, among others.

This is not the first time the Singapore night race is facing air quality issues. The races in 2015 and 2019 were also enveloped in thick haze and they went ahead.

Nevertheless, the Singapore Tourism Board told CNN on Friday: “Action plans are in place based on the intensity of the haze.”

F1 drivers, however, don’t seem too bothered. Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas, who cycled more than 400km (248 miles) from Malaysia to Singapore this week, told Reuters: “I don’t feel like it’s that extreme yet. I mean, it’s not great, but I don’t think there’s that much you can do.”

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton told Reuters he has “much bigger issues to focus on.”

Neighboring Malaysia has also been heavily affected by the smog with the education ministry shutting schools across several states this week as the situation worsens.

Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images

新加坡是世界上最富裕的城市之一，但由于邻国印度尼西亚的火灾造成的浓厚有毒烟雾，它已成为地球上污染最严重的城市。

污染给这座城市国家蒙上了一层阴影，而这座城市正准备举办一系列盛大的周末活动，包括国际会议和星光熠熠的一级方程式大奖赛夜间比赛。

根据瑞士空气质量监测机构 IQAir 的数据，周五上午，瑞士的空气质量处于“非常不健康”的水平，空气质量指数 (AQI) 为 216。

根据IQAir本周发布的污染最严重城市排名，这家金融中心位居榜首，截至周五上午仍稳居榜首。同样受到印尼山火重创的吉隆坡位列第二。

污染使新加坡的天际线，包括滨海湾金沙酒店和其他摩天大楼，都变成了模糊的轮廓。

作为亚洲重要的金融中心，孟加拉国（人口 621 万，年 GDP 超过 6500 亿美元）及其邻国马来西亚几乎每年都要忍受雾霾的困扰。

在印度尼西亚，火灾是每年旱季期间都会发生的事件。旱季期间，大片泥炭地被清理和排干，用于商业种植园，其中包括生产棕榈油的种植园。棕榈油是许多产品的原料，从面条到牙膏。

但今年，预计将出现“超级”厄尔尼诺现象——这种自然气候模式的加强版往往会给该国带来极度干燥的条件——为异常强烈的火灾埋下了伏笔。

新加坡国家环境局周四在其网站上发布最新消息称，“观测到来自苏门答腊南部和中部以及西加里曼丹的中等至浓重烟雾向新加坡飘移”，这里指的是印度尼西亚地区。

“在盛行的东南风或南风的影响下，烟雾可能会继续向新加坡飘去，”声明补充道。

据路透社报道，国际汽联（FIA）周四表示，新加坡F1赛事期间举办的户外娱乐活动可能会受到影响，但比赛本身不会受到影响。周五，赛事组织方新加坡大奖赛告诉CNN，“目前没有计划修改我们在赛事期间的娱乐活动”。

为F1观众带来娱乐表演的艺人包括珍妮·杰克逊和杀手乐队等。

这并非新加坡夜间赛车首次面临空气质量问题。2015年和2019年的比赛也曾被浓重的雾霾笼罩，但比赛仍然照常进行。

不过，新加坡旅游局周五告诉 CNN：“我们已根据雾霾的严重程度制定了行动计划。”

然而，F1车手们似乎并不太在意。凯迪拉克车手瓦尔特里·博塔斯本周骑自行车从马来西亚到新加坡，行程超过400公里（248英里）。他告诉路透社：“我觉得情况还没那么极端。我的意思是，这当然不好，但我觉得也没什么办法。”

法拉利车队的刘易斯·汉密尔顿告诉路透社，他“还有更重要的事情需要关注”。

邻国马来西亚也受到了雾霾的严重影响，随着情况恶化，教育部本周关闭了多个州的学校。