NASA-Funded Study Finds Addis Abeba Black Carbon Levels Far Above Three US Cities
A NASA-funded study reported average black carbon concentrations in Addis Abeba at roughly four to nine times the levels measured in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Boston.
In short
- A NASA-funded study reported average black carbon concentrations in Addis Abeba at roughly four to nine times the levels measured in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Boston.
A NASA-funded study has found that average black carbon concentrations measured in Addis Abeba were approximately four to nine times higher than levels recorded in three United States metropolitan areas: Los Angeles, Atlanta and Boston.
The finding was reported on August 19, 2026, by Addis Standard through AllAfrica’s Ethiopia feed. The comparison used results from the same monitoring mission, making the gap between Addis Abeba and the three US cities the central finding reported by the source.
Black carbon is a component of particulate air pollution produced by incomplete combustion. The reported disparity adds evidence to concerns about urban air quality in Ethiopia’s capital, while the available source item does not provide enough detail to identify individual pollution sources or quantify health effects. Those questions require the study’s full methodology and results.
