JAKARTA: With the dry season approaching, concerns are mounting over deteriorating air quality in Jakarta with the 2026 El Nino predicted to exacerbate the pollution and increase health risks for millions of people.
Data from Swiss technology company IQAir showed that Jakarta saw one of its worst average air quality days so far in 2026 in June. The average level of PM2.5 pollutants increased from the “moderate” category set by IQAir between November 2025 and April 2026 to “unhealthy” in June 2026.
On June 18, the level of PM2.5 pollutants reached around 61 microgrammes (mcg) per cubic m, around 11 times higher than the safety limit set by the World Health Organisation. Jakarta’s air quality typically drops during El Nino, a periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean that often brings drier and prolonged dry seasons to the city and Indonesia in general.
During the 2023-2024 El Nino season, the PM2.5 concentration in Indonesia reached 100 mcg per cubic m, according to a study published earlier in 2026. Researchers of the study linked the rise in pollutants to the dynamics of the seasonal monsoon, which affects the direction and power of winds in South-East Asia.
In normal conditions, the monsoon can help carry and spread pollutants like PM2.5 to prevent them from accumulating in a certain region. However, El Nino changes the atmospheric circulation pattern and reduces its capacity to blow away the pollutants, lowering the air quality in the city and raising the health risks from pollution for its residents.
Some Jakartans have reported feeling the impact of the worsening air quality.
Nabilla, 28, relies on public transportation and frequently walks when travelling in the city. But she felt that Jakarta’s pollution had become increasingly difficult to endure in recent weeks as hot weather has persisted and rainfall has been less frequent.
“I find myself getting tired and short of breath more easily when walking along busy roads,” the office worker said.
Meanwhile, Akbar, a 32-year-old sports coach who commutes daily from Tangerang, Banten, to Central Jakarta, has been trying to protect himself from pollution by wearing a mask whenever he spends time outdoors.
But he has still had persistent nasal congestion for several weeks, which he believes is linked to Jakarta’s poor air quality.
“I hope the government doesn’t focus solely on restricting private vehicles because that alone won’t sufficiently solve the problem,” Akbar said.
“The authorities also need to reduce emissions from power plants and accelerate the use of cleaner energy sources.” Several previous studies have pointed to coal-fired power plants and other business activities, on top of the heavy usage of internal combustion engine vehicles, among the sources of air pollution in Jakarta.
Wisya Aulia Prayudi, urban and environmental health lead from the Centre for Indonesia Strategic Development Initiatives, warned of growing health risks from the worsening air quality. The pollutants may cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as cognitive decline among children, she added.
The authorities are urged to establish an air pollution early-warning system to mitigate heightened health risks during the dry season, said Muhammad Aminullah from the Jakarta office of environmental group the Indonesian Forum for the Environment.
“When air quality reaches unhealthy levels, restrictions should be imposed on major pollution sources, while health services and dedicated public hotlines should be made available,” Aminullah said on June 18.
Acknowledging the potential impact of the El Nino-affected dry season on air quality in the city, Jakarta Environment Agency spokesperson Yogi Ikhwan said on June 18 that the city administration had sought to strengthen air pollution control by reducing emissions from transportation, industry and other major sources.
The efforts would be coordinated with the central government and the local authorities in Greater Jakarta. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
