Google search results prove that Indians are worried about the air quality and climate change

• Air quality index was one of the most searched items in the ‘Near Me’ category.
• Amazon rainforest fires was among the most searched news items.
• The search results indicate people are concerned about climate change and its impact on their lives.

Google has released the 2019 Year in Search and while some results are as expected, one of the results highlights how worried people were about the air quality around them. Air quality has been one of the most discussed topics of the year as pollution worsened this year again, particularly around the national capital at the onset of winter.

Google divides the search trends in various categories and one such category is – Near me. It gives you results based on your location. One of the items in this category was ‘air quality index near me’. Indians also searched for ‘Amazon rainforest fires’ showing an increasing curiosity for the impact of climate change.

To recall, the air quality in Delhi NCR and surrounding areas was often at ‘hazardous’ and ‘severe’ levels in October and November and the Delhi government had implemented the odd-even scheme to combat air pollution.

Searches for ‘air quality near me’ peaked in India in October and November

What is air quality index?

The air quality index (AQI) is an index used for reporting the air quality on a continuous basis. It is a measure of how the air quality in your local area affects your health in a short period of time. The AQI is calculated for four major air pollutants - ground level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, and sulphur dioxide.