Kiera Jefferson
India and the United States are two of the most populous countries in the world, but they differ significantly in terms of pollution levels and environmental performance. While the United States has historically been a major emitter of CO2, with its share in global emissions far outstripping its share of the global population, India has also faced challenges in addressing pollution, particularly air pollution, which has been identified as a major health concern.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Carbon footprint of an American compared to an Indian | More than 3 times |
| India's rank in the world's most polluted countries | 2nd |
| India's National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) target | 40% reduction relative to 2017 levels by 2025-26 |
| India's political stance on pollution | Not a political issue |
| US's stance on pollution | Clean Air Act Amendments approved by Congress in 1970 |
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What You'll Learn
Americans' carbon footprint is three times that of Indians
Income inequality also plays a significant role in carbon emissions. The top 1% of global emitters produce over 1000 times more CO2 than the bottom 1%. Within the United States, the richest decile emits over 55 tonnes of CO2 per capita each year, with road transport accounting for a large portion of their carbon footprint.
American consumer culture also contributes to their larger carbon footprint. Holidays such as Halloween and the Fourth of July create a substantial amount of carbon emissions in a short period. Additionally, Americans tend to spend 90% of their time indoors, relying on heating and air conditioning, which accounted for 44% of energy consumption in the United States in 2023.
Furthermore, Americans' travel habits can be carbon-intensive. With limited vacation time, many Americans choose to travel domestically by car or plane, which contributes to their carbon footprint. In contrast, individuals in Europe can easily take carbon-light weekend trips to different countries by train.
Addressing these disparities and reducing Americans' carbon footprint are crucial steps towards achieving global carbon reduction goals. While government initiatives, such as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, can help, a cultural shift is also necessary to curb the effects of Americans' high carbon footprint.
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India is the second most polluted country
India is the world's second most polluted country. Fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) shortens an average Indian's life expectancy by 5.3 years, relative to what it would be if the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline of 5 µg/m3 was met. Some areas of India fare much worse than average, with air pollution in the National Capital Territory of Delhi shortening lives by 11.9 years. Delhi is India's capital and most populous city, and it is the most polluted city in the world. All of India's 1.3 billion people live in areas where the annual average particulate pollution level exceeds the WHO guideline; 67.4% of the population live in areas that exceed the country's own national air quality standard of 40 µg/m3.
The problem is most acute in India, but it is not alone. Nasa satellite data of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) mapped against population density data from the European Commission shows that more than 4.2 billion people in Asia are breathing air many times dirtier than the WHO safe limit. The data only takes into account populated areas to avoid skewing numbers for countries with large unpopulated regions. The 2016 data shows that while China and India have a similar number of people breathing air above the safe limit, India has far more people living in heavily polluted areas. At least 140 million people in India are breathing air 10 times or more over the WHO safe limit. A study published in The Lancet estimated that in 2017, air pollution killed 1.24 million Indians — half of them younger than 70. This lowers the country's average life expectancy by 1.7 years. The 10 most polluted cities in the world are all in northern India.
In 2019, India declared a "war against pollution" and launched its National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), signalling its desire to reduce particulate pollution. NCAP originally aimed to reduce particulate pollution by 20-30% nationally relative to 2017 levels by 2024 and focused on 102 cities that were not meeting India's national annual PM5 standard, termed "non-attainment cities". The Indian Government announced its revamped particulate pollution reduction target for NCAP in 2022, 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. If the ambition of the revised target is met, these cities' overall annual average PM2.5 exposure would be 21.9 µg/m3 lower than 2017 levels. This would add 2.1 years to the life of the average Indian living in these specific 131 cities and 7.9 months to the life of the average Indian country-wide.
The Modi administration is making an ambitious push to expand renewable energy capacity, including solar power, to help meet rapidly growing power demand. Increased investment has made renewables India's second-largest generator of electricity. However, India's 246 coal-fired power plants — most of them inefficient and highly polluting — account for 60% of India's total electricity production, with a combined capacity of 188GW. Mr Modi's government has provided cooking gas cylinders to more than 50 million poor households to try to reduce the use of highly polluting biomass cooking fuels, though high gas refill prices mean that biomass burning remains a major pollution source.
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Air pollution is the greatest threat to Indians' health
Air pollution is a pressing issue in India, posing a significant threat to the health and well-being of its citizens. With high levels of air pollution, India faces challenges in protecting the health of its population, particularly from the adverse effects of particulate matter and indoor air pollution.
The Lancet, a reputable medical journal, reported that India's worsening air pollution caused an estimated 1.67 million deaths and a substantial economic loss of US$28.8 billion in 2019. This issue is further exacerbated by the widespread use of fuel wood and biomass burning for cooking and heating, contributing to the near-constant haze and smoke observed across the country. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), India is home to 13 of the 20 most polluted cities globally, with New Delhi being declared the most polluted city in the world in 2014.
The health impacts of air pollution in India are profound and wide-ranging. Long-term exposure to particulate matter can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, including asthma, bronchitis, COPD, lung cancer, and heart attacks. Alarmingly, over two million children in Delhi, which is half of the child population, exhibit abnormalities in their lung function. Asthma is the most prevalent health issue attributed to air pollution, accounting for more than half of the health problems caused by it. Additionally, air pollution is implicated in the early onset of Alzheimer's disease in India, further compounding the health crisis.
The economic consequences of air pollution in India are also significant. The lost output and increased healthcare expenditures due to premature deaths and morbidity have resulted in substantial economic losses. In 2019, these losses amounted to US$36.8 billion, equivalent to 1.36% of India's gross domestic product (GDP). Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the Indian government has committed approximately $1.7 billion to combat air pollution over the next five years for cities with populations exceeding one million.
Addressing air pollution in India is a complex task that requires coordinated efforts at the local, national, and international levels. The World Bank and other organizations are actively supporting India in developing and implementing effective air quality management strategies. By focusing on reducing air pollution, India can not only improve the health and well-being of its citizens but also make significant strides toward mitigating climate change.
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Americans emit CO2 disproportionately to their population
The United States emits CO2 disproportionately to its population. In 2021, the US emitted 6,340 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent metric tons. That’s 2.3% lower than measured in 1990, and 15.6% lower than 2007, when the US hit its recorded peak of 7,511 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Despite this decrease, the US emitted 13.8% of global CO2 emissions in 2021, while representing only 5% of the global population.
In 2021, the US transportation sector emitted more greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector: more than 1.8 billion metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions, or 28.5% of emissions overall. The US electric power sector emitted 25% of 2021 emissions, and the industrial sector emitted 23.5%. The US's high emissions are partly due to the fact that 94% of the transportation sector’s energy came from petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel in 2021.
In contrast, India emitted 6.7% of global CO2 emissions in 2021, while representing 17% of the global population. Thus, the US emits CO2 disproportionately to its population compared to India. On a per capita basis, an American's carbon footprint is more than three times that of an Indian.
The US's high emissions relative to its population are also reflected in the emissions of its states relative to their populations. For example, Texas accounted for 13.8% of US emissions in 2021, while comprising only 8.9% of the US population. California, the next highest-emitting state, emitted 6.2% of US emissions in 2021, while comprising only 11.8% of the US population.
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India's coal-fired power plants are highly polluting
India's coal-fired power plants are a major contributor to the country's overall pollution levels. Coal is the largest source of power in India, with about 71% of the electricity consumed in the country generated by thermal power plants. More than 62% of India's electricity demand is met through its coal reserves.
In January 2024, India's coal-fired electricity generation hit a record high, with coal's share of the country's electricity generation mix reaching 80%. This led to emissions from coal generation hitting 104.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), while emissions from all power sources reached 107.5 million tons. Despite regulations passed in 2015, fewer than 5% of these plants operate with modern systems to clean up air pollutants from their chimneys. This is in stark contrast to China, where 95% of coal-fired power plants were fitted with clean-up technologies by 2013.
The high level of emissions from India's coal-fired power plants has had significant health impacts. Research has estimated that up to 720,000 lives could have been saved over a 10-year period if technology had been installed to reduce particle pollution. The implementation of clean-up technologies could have resulted in a 28% reduction in particle pollution for people living around power plants, leading to about a 17% reduction in early deaths.
While India's power sector emissions have generally tended to climb each year, there is potential for growth in clean energy generation. Utilities should be able to deploy growing volumes of clean power, particularly during the warmest months when demand for air conditioning increases. In addition, India has 25 operational nuclear reactors, accounting for around 3% of electricity generation, with 10 more reactors under construction.
In summary, India's coal-fired power plants are highly polluting, contributing significantly to the country's overall emissions and negatively impacting the health of those living nearby. While India's power sector continues to rely heavily on coal, there is a growing recognition of the benefits of transitioning to renewable energy sources and implementing clean-up technologies.
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Frequently asked questions
An American's carbon footprint is more than three times that of an Indian.
An average Indian's life expectancy is reduced by 5.3 years due to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5).
Emissions originate from automobiles, industry, and biomass burning for cooking in rural regions.
India launched its National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019, aiming to reduce particulate pollution by 20-30% nationally relative to 2017 levels by 2024.
Firstly, pollution management has yet to become a political issue in India. Secondly, there is a lack of courage to take on the corporate sector, which has shown a lack of interest in pollution control. Finally, the government's own businesses and power plants are significant pollutants.
