Jakarta, Indonesia Air Quality & Smog

Dominant pollutants, when pollution and smog are worst, a notable historical episode, and the official monitoring agencies for Jakarta, Indonesia — plus how to check the current reading. Jakarta reports air quality on the Indonesian Air Pollutant Standards Index (ISPU), not the US AQI — our guide to world air-quality indices explains how the major scales compare.

Dominant pollutants

PM2.5.

Seasonal pattern: when smog is worst

Jakarta is among the most polluted capital cities in the world, especially in the dry season (roughly May–September). The drivers are dense traffic, coal-fired power plants ringing the metropolitan area, and industry; the wet season brings relief. Indonesia reports air quality on the ISPU (Indeks Standar Pencemar Udara).

A notable air-quality episode

Through 2019 and again in 2023, Jakarta repeatedly topped global live city-pollution rankings. In a landmark 2021 ruling, an Indonesian court found the president and senior officials negligent over the capital's air pollution.

The local index and who runs it

Jakarta reports air quality using the Indonesian Air Pollutant Standards Index (ISPU), not the US AQI — so the same air can read as a different number than you may be used to. Indonesian authorities publish the ISPU; for context on how it and other 0–500 systems compare, see our world air-quality indices guide.

• Indonesia Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK)
• Jakarta provincial environment agency

How to check air quality in Jakarta

For the official live reading, the agency portals above are the canonical source. To understand what the numbers mean, see our guide to world air-quality indices and how they compare to the US AQI. Smog Report puts glanceable air quality on your iPhone — widgets, Live Activities, Siri, and Apple Watch — free and with no account.

Common questions about Jakarta air quality

Why does Jakarta have air-quality and smog problems?

Jakarta is among the most polluted capital cities in the world, especially in the dry season (roughly May–September). The drivers are dense traffic, coal-fired power plants ringing the metropolitan area, and industry; the wet season brings relief. Indonesia reports air quality on the ISPU (Indeks Standar Pencemar Udara).

What are the main air pollutants in Jakarta?

Jakarta's dominant pollutants are PM2.5. The reading on any given day is usually driven by whichever of these is highest.

Has Jakarta had a major air-quality or smog event?

Through 2019 and again in 2023, Jakarta repeatedly topped global live city-pollution rankings. In a landmark 2021 ruling, an Indonesian court found the president and senior officials negligent over the capital's air pollution.

What air-quality index does Jakarta use?

Jakarta reports air quality on the Indonesian Air Pollutant Standards Index (ISPU) (ISPU), not the US AQI — so the same air can read as a different number than you may be used to. For live, glanceable readings on your iPhone, the free Smog Report app auto-selects the right local index for wherever you are.

Related