Bronte Wells
India is one of the most polluted countries in the world, with 1.67 million deaths attributable to air pollution in 2019, accounting for 17.8% of the total deaths in the country. The main contributors to India's air pollution include industrial and vehicular emissions, construction, thermal power plants, burning of crop residue, and the burning of wood and dung for cooking and heating. In response, the Indian government has implemented various initiatives, such as the National Clean Air Programme, to reduce particulate matter pollution and improve air quality. Despite these efforts, air pollution remains a critical issue, impacting the health and economy of the country.
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What You'll Learn
India's air pollution levels are among the highest in the world
The pollution problem in India is particularly severe in the northern part of the country, with all of the 10 most polluted cities in the world located in this region. The National Capital Territory of Delhi is the most polluted city globally, with air pollution levels that are nearly ten times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The poor air quality in Delhi has forced schools to close for several days and has been recognised as a public health emergency. The Indian government has taken steps to address this issue, such as launching the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019, which aims to reduce particulate pollution and improve air quality across the country. The NCAP has set a time-bound goal and provided a framework for cities to develop their management plans with policy guidance.
The government has also strengthened vehicular and industrial emission standards, promoted renewable energy and electric vehicles, and supplied LPG cooking fuel to households. In addition, India has set aside approximately $1.7 billion to combat air pollution in 42 cities with populations of over a million, provided they reduce pollution levels by 15% annually. Furthermore, the country has established the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas to facilitate coordination across jurisdictions.
Despite these efforts, air pollution in India remains a critical issue. From 1998 to 2021, the average annual particulate pollution in the country increased by 67.7%, and India accounted for 59.1% of the world's increase in pollution during this period. The health consequences of air pollution are severe, with an estimated 1.67 million deaths attributed to air pollution in 2019, contributing to 17.8% of total deaths in the country. The pollution also causes various health issues, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and reduces life expectancy, with an average reduction of 5.3 years for Indians.
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The main sources of India's air pollution
India has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and air pollution is a serious environmental issue that poses a heavy threat to the country's health and economy. In 2019, India was the third-largest producer of greenhouse gases, and 1.67 million deaths were attributable to air pollution in the country that year. India's air pollution levels are among the highest in the world, with 1.4 billion people exposed to unhealthy levels of ambient PM 2.5, the most harmful pollutant. Fine particulate air pollution (PM 2.5) shortens an average Indian's life expectancy by 5.3 years.
Power emissions are the second-largest source of pollution in India, with the burning of coal for power generation being the biggest contributor to SO2 (44% to 62%) and NOx emissions (24% to 43%). The massive industrialization in India over the past few decades has significantly impacted the country's air pollution levels. Industrial emissions account for about 51% of total air pollution in India, with unregulated small-scale industries burning fuels such as biomass, plastic, and crude oil, releasing various toxic pollutants into the air.
Vehicle emissions are another major source of air pollution in India, with 27% of the country's air pollution being caused by vehicles. The TRUE Initiative's study in Delhi and Gurugram revealed that motor vehicles emit far more pollutants in real-world settings than in lab tests. Some Indian taxis and auto-rickshaws run on adulterated fuel blends, with gasoline being mixed with lower-priced fuels like kerosene, which increases the emission of harmful pollutants and worsens urban air pollution.
In autumn and spring, large-scale crop residue burning in agricultural fields is a major source of smoke, smog, and particulate pollution. To combat air pollution, the Indian government has launched several initiatives, including the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, which aims to provide clean cooking fuel to women in disadvantaged households, and the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which has set time-bound goals for improving air quality across the country.
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The health impact of India's air pollution
India has some of the highest air pollution levels in the world, and this is a major threat to the health of its population. In 2019, air pollution was responsible for 1.67 million deaths in India, accounting for 17.8% of total deaths in the country. A further study estimated that 2 million people in India die prematurely each year due to air pollution.
The main sources of India's air pollution include industrial and vehicular emissions, construction, waste burning, and the use of wood and dung for cooking and heating in low-income and rural households. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 9 out of 10 people worldwide breathe air containing high levels of pollutants. In India, this figure is even more pronounced, with all of its 1.3 billion people living in areas where the annual average particulate pollution level exceeds the WHO guideline. This figure has increased over time, with a 67.7% rise in average annual particulate pollution between 1998 and 2021.
The health impacts of air pollution are wide-ranging and severe. Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is linked to deadly illnesses such as lung cancer, stroke, and heart disease. A 2013 study found that Indians have 30% weaker lung function than Europeans. Air pollution also disproportionately affects women, newborns, and young children. It is estimated that the average Indian's life expectancy is reduced by 5.3 years due to air pollution, with some areas faring much worse, such as the National Capital Territory of Delhi, where life expectancy is shortened by 11.9 years.
The economic impacts of air pollution in India are also significant. Diseases attributable to air pollution reduce economic growth through decreased productivity, reduced labour supply, increased healthcare expenditures, and lost welfare. A study by the Lancet estimated that worsening air pollution in 2019 resulted in a loss of US$28.8 billion worth of output in India.
The Indian government has recognized the severity of this issue and has implemented various initiatives to combat air pollution. In 2019, India launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which aims to reduce particulate pollution and improve air quality across the country. The government has also strengthened vehicular and industrial emission standards, promoted renewable energy and electric vehicles, and expanded access to LPG cooking fuel for millions of households.
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India's initiatives to reduce air pollution
India has the second most polluted air in the world, with 100% of its 1.4 billion population exposed to unhealthy levels of ambient PM2.5, the most harmful pollutant. This has resulted in severe health risks, including heart and lung diseases, and cancer, and staggering economic losses, with air pollution offsetting nearly 1.36% of India's GDP in 2019.
India has taken several significant steps to combat this problem. In 2019, the Indian government launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), with a tentative national target of a 20-30% reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024, considering 2017 as the base year for comparison. In 2022, the Indian Government announced its revamped particulate pollution reduction target for NCAP, setting no national goal but increasing its ambition at the city level. The new goal aims for a 40% reduction relative to 2017 levels for an expanded number of 131 non-attainment cities by 2025-26. The NCAP provides cities with an overall framework for developing air quality management plans, with guidance on policies across a range of sectors.
In 2020, the Government of India set aside about $1.7 billion to fight air pollution over the next five years for the 42 Indian cities with populations of more than one million, provided they reduce their air pollution levels by 15% every year. This is the world's first performance-based fiscal transfer funding program for air quality management in cities.
In 2015, India, along with IIT Kanpur, launched the National Air Quality Index to communicate air quality levels to the public in an easily understandable format. AQI monitoring and reporting are currently established in 34 of 36 States and Union Territories.
Some other initiatives include the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which includes measures such as dust mitigation at construction sites, effective waste management, and regular road cleaning. Another initiative is the use of bio-decomposers to combat stubble burning, a significant contributor to winter pollution. India has also set an ambitious target of getting 500 GW of energy from renewable sources by 2030, with 190 GW already achieved as of March 2024.
Community-led initiatives are also playing a crucial role in combating air pollution in India. For example, the Building Healthy Cities Project, a community-led study funded by USAID, trained local volunteers to be clean air guides, educate the community, and support advocacy efforts.
India is also focusing on improving the availability and accessibility of data on air pollution. Currently, data is often not straightforward to access and is not in an analysis-ready format. Making these datasets more accessible and timely would allow Indian citizens to participate in addressing one of India's largest public health crises.
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The economic impact of India's air pollution
India's air pollution is a serious environmental issue, with 21 of the world's 30 most polluted cities in 2019. The country's air pollution is caused by industrial and vehicular emissions, construction dust, waste burning, and the use of fuelwood and biomass cakes for cooking and heating. These issues contribute to the premature deaths of 2 million Indians annually and have economic repercussions.
The Indian government has recognized the urgency of addressing air pollution and has allocated approximately $1.7 billion to combat this issue in 42 cities with populations exceeding one million. This initiative is the world's first performance-based fiscal transfer funding program for air quality management in cities. The government has also strengthened vehicular and industrial emission standards, promoted renewable energy and electric vehicles, and provided LPG cooking fuel to households.
Despite these efforts, India's air pollution levels remain among the highest globally, posing a persistent threat to both the country's health and economy. The pollution levels have severe consequences for the population's health, including lung cancer, stroke, and heart disease. The economic losses due to air pollution are expected to impede India's economic growth and affect its aspirations for the future.
To effectively address air pollution, India needs to adopt a multi-sectoral and multi-jurisdictional approach, as the issue extends beyond individual cities and states. Standardizing control strategies and data sets across the nation is crucial for successful pollution control. Additionally, improving the availability and accessibility of timely and analysis-ready air pollution data can empower Indian citizens to actively participate in tackling this public health crisis.
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Frequently asked questions
India is one of the most polluted countries in the world. In 2019, 1.67 million deaths were attributable to air pollution in India, accounting for 17.8% of the total deaths in the country.
The main contributors to India's particulate air pollution include industrial and vehicular emissions, construction dust and debris, dependence on thermal power for electricity, waste burning, and the use of wood and dung by low-income and rural households for cooking and heating.
The Indian government has taken several steps to address air pollution, including launching the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019, which aims to reduce particulate pollution by 30% by 2024. The government has also strengthened vehicular and industrial emission standards, expanded renewable energy, promoted electric vehicles, and supplied LPG cooking fuel to millions of households.
Air pollution has severe health impacts in India, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, stroke, and chronic respiratory diseases. It is also associated with elevated risks for heart attacks, asthma, reduced foetal growth, stunted development of children's lungs, and cognitive impairment.
