Kenya Is World's 'Least Toxic' Country

Kenya has been named the world's least toxic country, topping a list that takes account of air pollution, energy consumption and renewable energy production.

Data obtained from the International Energy Agency and World Health Organization (WHO) was used by renewable energy firm The Eco Experts in order to rank the most toxic countries in the world.

An interesting map from The Eco Experts shows the most toxic countries in the world:

The cleanest countries were largely those from Sub-Saharan Africa, while countries in the Middle East dominated the other end of the list. Saudi Arabia was ranked as the most toxic country.

The Eco Experts describes the results of the research as a warning that continued emissions of greenhouse gases could cause disastrous and irreversible damage to the planet.

The ranking did not include every country, with one notable omission being that of Iceland, which could have been lauded on the list. The Nordic's country use of geothermal energy means air pollution levels are typically very low.

Data released by WHO last year revealed that levels of air pollution had increased by 8 percent between 2009 and 2016. According to its estimates, poor air quality claims the lives of 7 million people every year.

Maria Neira, WHO's public health chief, said the figures were indicative of a "major, major public health problem," stressing that public awareness of the issue needed to be raised.

"We have a public health emergency in many countries," Neira said. "Urban air pollution continues to rise at an alarming rate, wreaking havoc on human health. It's dramatic, one of the biggest problems we are facing globally, with terrible future costs to society.

"The cost for countries is enormous. Air pollution affects economies and people's quality of life. It leads to major chronic diseases and to people ultimately dying."