Mexico City Air Quality Concerns Persist Despite Contingency Suspension
Mexico City and the surrounding areas recently experienced a period of heightened air pollution, triggering environmental contingencies for several days. While the most recent contingency phase has been lifted, concerns remain about air quality in the densely populated metropolitan area.
On February 14th, authorities initially maintained a Phase 1 environmental contingency due to elevated ozone levels. This meant restrictions were placed on vehicle circulation based on verification holograms and license plate numbers under the “Hoy No Circula” program, aimed at reducing vehicular emissions. According to reports from MSN, certain vehicles were restricted from driving in the city and surrounding areas.
The Metropolitan Environmental Commission (CAMe) declared the contingency when pollutant levels posed health or ecological risks, specifically high concentrations of ozone, PM10, or PM2.5. These pollutants can cause respiratory issues, headaches, asthma attacks, and heart complications. Phase I of the contingency system is enacted when pollution levels threaten sensitive populations – children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing conditions.
However, as of February 15th, the contingency was suspended, according to reports from Nación321. UnoTV reported on the operation of the “Hoy No Circula” program on Sunday, February 16th, indicating a continued focus on managing vehicle emissions.
The recent events follow a trend of worsening air quality in the region. In 2024, the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico (ZMVM) recorded a record-high 12 environmental contingencies, prompting the federal government to introduce new measures in 2025 to reduce pollutant emissions and improve air quality, as reported by Mexico Business News. CAMe states that maintaining an active contingency is necessary to protect public health and mitigate the effects of air pollution.
Air quality is measured on a scale of 0 to 500, with 0 representing perfect air quality. Typically, Mexico City’s air quality index (AQI) hovers around 100, largely due to pollutants from vehicle emissions. On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, a maximum ozone concentration of 155 parts per billion (ppb) was recorded at the Gustavo A. Madero station, rising to 167 ppb by 4 p.m., triggering the Phase I contingency, according to a tweet from the Secretaría del Medio Ambiente (@SEDEMA_CDMX) reported by Mexico News Daily.
Despite a recent “Moderate” air quality reading of 68 in early 2021, Mexico was ranked as the 48th dirtiest city out of 98 in 2019, with average PM2.5 levels at 20.5 µg/m³. These levels have remained relatively consistent in recent years, according to data from IQAir. The poor air quality in the country is estimated to cause 17,000 deaths annually, including 1,680 deaths among children under five years of age.
The government is taking steps to address the issue, but in April 2019, only three out of 20 monitoring stations for ozone, PM10, and PM2.5 met official standards. The current situation highlights the ongoing challenges in maintaining acceptable air quality levels in Mexico City and the need for continued efforts to reduce pollution.
As of February 14, 2026, the current Air Quality Index (AQI) in Mexico City is 30, categorized as “Good,” with real-time measurements of PM2.5 at 6µg/m³ and PM10 at 32µg/m³, and a temperature of 26.4°C, according to AQI.in.
