Kiera Jefferson
India is taking proactive steps to combat its hazardous levels of air pollution, which cause around 2 million premature deaths a year and cost the country 1.36% of its GDP in 2019. The Indian government has launched an ambitious National Clean Air Program to reduce particulate matter pollution by 40% by 2026. It has also set aside $1.7 billion to fight air pollution in 42 cities with populations of over a million. The government is working with businesses and research organizations to improve air quality data and monitoring, and encouraging collaboration across local and national jurisdictions. Local measures such as reducing Sulphur in diesel, the use of LPG as domestic fuel, and the use of CNG in certain vehicles have also helped to reduce pollution levels in some cities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Clean Air Fund | The Clean Air Fund works with the government, businesses, and research organizations to help India reach its clean air goals. |
| National Clean Air Program | The Indian government launched an ambitious National Clean Air Program to reduce particulate matter pollution by 30% by 2024, and the target was subsequently revised to 40% by 2026. |
| Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) Initiative | The TRUE Initiative worked with authorities in Delhi and Gurugram to conduct emissions testing of on-road vehicles and provided recommendations to the city governments. |
| Confederation of Indian Industry | The Confederation of Indian Industry developed a Corporate Air Emissions Reporting Guide to help businesses manage and report their air emissions. |
| India Lighthouse initiative | The India Lighthouse initiative brings together experts from India and around the world to develop India-specific practices and tools to better understand, manage, and control air pollution. |
| World Bank Support | The World Bank is introducing tools for airshed management and planning to support state and regional air quality management approaches in India. |
| Performance-based Fiscal Transfer Funding | The Indian government has set aside about $1.7 billion to fight air pollution over five years for 42 Indian cities with million-plus populations, provided they reduce air pollution by 15% annually. |
| Commission of Air Quality Management | India's Parliament approved a law in August 2021 to establish the Commission of Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas. |
| National Air Quality Index | In 2015, the Government of India, together with IIT Kanpur, launched the National Air Quality Index. |
| Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna | The Indian government has implemented the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna to improve access to clean energy options like LPG at the household level for marginalized sections. |
| Multi-sectoral Strategies | The Indian government is developing multi-sectoral strategies to reduce air pollution in alignment with the National Clean Air Program. |
| State-wide Air Quality Action Plans | The World Bank program aims to facilitate the creation of India's first State-wide Air Quality Action Plans. |
| Regional Airshed Action Plan | The World Bank program also aims to create the first extensive Regional Airshed Action Plan for the Indo Gangetic Plains, covering seven union territories and states. |
| GRAP Stage I | The Indian government has implemented measures under GRAP Stage I, including dust mitigation at construction sites, effective waste management, and regular road cleaning. |
| Bio-decomposers | The government has launched a project to spray bio-decomposer mixtures on over 2,000 hectares of farmland, converting crop stubble into manure and preventing harmful burning practices. |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The Indian government has set aside $1.7 billion to fight air pollution
- India's National Clean Air Programme aims to reduce pollution by 40% by 2026
- The Clean Air Fund supports government efforts and catalyses innovation in air quality management
- The Indian government has implemented programmes to improve access to clean energy options
- The Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) Initiative worked with authorities to conduct emissions testing of on-road vehicles
The Indian government has set aside $1.7 billion to fight air pollution
India's air pollution levels are among the highest in the world, with all of its citizens exposed to unhealthy levels of ambient PM2.5, the most harmful pollutant. This has severe health implications, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and results in substantial economic losses, with a total loss of $36.8 billion, or 1.36% of India's GDP, in 2019. The sources of air pollution in India are varied, including vehicle emissions, industry, biomass burning in rural areas, crop residue burning, tyre pyrolysis plants, and the use of traditional fuels such as fuelwood and dung cakes.
To combat this, the Indian government has implemented several initiatives and policies. The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) aims to reduce particulate matter pollution by 30% by 2024, with a revised target of 40% by 2026. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna programme improves access to clean energy options like LPG for marginalized households. The Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) Initiative works with authorities in Delhi and Gurugram to conduct emissions testing and provide recommendations. The India Lighthouse initiative brings together experts from India and abroad to develop India-specific practices and tools to better understand and manage air pollution.
The Indian government also collaborates with organizations like the Clean Air Fund, which supports government efforts, catalyzes innovation, and enables improved generation of air quality data. The World Bank is also involved, introducing tools for airshed management and planning to support state and regional air quality management approaches, with a focus on institutional capacity-building and cross-jurisdiction collaboration. These collective efforts are vital to addressing India's air pollution crisis and mitigating its health and economic impacts.
Volcanic Emissions: Unveiling Nature's Pollution Mystery
You may want to see also
Explore related products
India's National Clean Air Programme aims to reduce pollution by 40% by 2026
India's air pollution levels are among the highest in the world, posing a significant threat to the country's economy and the health of its citizens. The country's GDP is impacted by the effects of air pollution, and it is estimated that if India had achieved safe air quality levels in 2019, its GDP would have increased by $95 billion.
Air pollution is a silent killer, causing over 2 million premature deaths in India annually. It is the fifth-largest killer in India, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study for 2010, and it leads to health issues like respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, including asthma, bronchitis, COPD, lung cancer, and heart attacks.
To address this pressing issue, India's National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) was launched in 2019 with the ambitious goal of improving air quality in 122 cities. The programme initially aimed to reduce particulate matter pollution by 30% by 2024. However, after five years, most cities covered by the programme failed to meet their targets, and it was observed that meteorological factors played a more significant role in reducing pollution than the implemented measures.
As a result, the programme has been extended until 2026, with a revised target of reducing pollution concentrations by 40%. The NCAP focuses on reducing air pollution concentrations, enhancing air pollution monitoring and forecasting, and conducting pollution source apportionment studies. However, the programme has faced challenges, including the need to address major polluters and the complexity of multiple metrics and incentive structures.
The Indian government has also taken other steps to combat air pollution, such as setting aside approximately $1.7 billion to fight air pollution in 42 cities with populations of over one million. Additionally, India is working with the World Bank and international experts through the India Lighthouse initiative to develop India-specific practices and improve the understanding, management, and control of air pollution.
Monitoring Pollution Discharge Points: Technology and Strategies
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Clean Air Fund supports government efforts and catalyses innovation in air quality management
India is one of the most polluted countries in the world, with 17 of the 30 cities with the worst air pollution. The capital, New Delhi, has the poorest air quality among capital cities globally, with particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations nearly 10 times higher than World Health Organization guidelines. Air pollution accounts for more than 2 million deaths a year in India and leads to health problems like respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. It is also detrimental to India's economy, with an estimated loss of $36.8 billion in 2025, or 1.36% of its gross domestic product (GDP).
The Clean Air Fund is a philanthropic initiative that works with governments, businesses, researchers, policymakers, and campaigners to address air pollution and improve air quality. In India, the Clean Air Fund supports the government's efforts and catalyses innovation in air quality management in several ways:
- Empowering healthcare professionals: The Clean Air Fund amplifies the voices of healthcare professionals in the clean air movement, recognising that air pollution has severe health consequences.
- Data and evidence for policymaking: The Fund enables the improved generation of air quality data and evidence to inform policymaking. For example, the Fund's partner, the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K), has established a network of low-cost sensors across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to strengthen the existing air quality monitoring ecosystem.
- Technical assistance: The Fund provides technical assistance to sub-national governments, such as the Government of Uttar Pradesh, to support their air quality management programmes, like the Uttar Pradesh Clean Air Management Programme (UP CAMP).
- Dialogue and information sharing: The Clean Air Fund facilitates dialogue and information exchange between various stakeholders, including private sector leaders and healthcare practitioners.
- Vehicle emissions testing: The Fund's TRUE Initiative worked with authorities in Delhi and Gurugram to conduct emissions testing of on-road vehicles, revealing that motor vehicles emit significantly more pollutants in real-world conditions than in lab tests. This information is crucial for policy recommendations and emphasising the need for a transition to zero-emission vehicles.
- Support for State authorities: The Clean Air Fund assists State authorities, such as those in Punjab, in developing multi-sectoral strategies to reduce air pollution in alignment with the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
- Capacity-building: The Fund promotes cross-learning and helps build institutional capacity for implementing clean air practices and informing NCAP reform.
- Business engagement: The Clean Air Fund recognises the role of the private sector in combating air pollution. It works with businesses to manage and report their air emissions, and its India CEO Forum for Clean Air has over 130 members galvanising India's private sector to find solutions to poor air quality.
Pesticides and Fertilizers: Pollution's Unseen Contributors
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Indian government has implemented programmes to improve access to clean energy options
India has some of the highest levels of air pollution in the world, which poses a serious threat to the health and economy of the country. The Indian government has implemented programmes to improve access to clean energy options, such as the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna, which aims to improve access to clean energy sources like LPG for household use, particularly for marginalised communities. This is important as traditional fuel sources like fuelwood, crop residue, and dung cakes still dominate energy use in rural India, accounting for about 90% of total energy consumption. In urban areas, these traditional fuels make up about 24% of total energy consumption.
The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is another important initiative that tackles deteriorating air quality across 132 cities that fail to meet air pollution standards. This programme promotes city-specific air quality management plans and encourages collaboration across local and national jurisdictions. The Indian government has also set aside about $1.7 billion to fight air pollution over the next five years for the 42 Indian cities with populations of over one million, provided they reduce their air pollution levels by 15% every year.
Other notable initiatives include the use of bio-decomposers to combat stubble burning, a significant contributor to winter pollution. The Clean Air Fund, for example, works with government, businesses, and research organisations to help India reach its clean air goals. They support initiatives such as the establishment of a network of low-cost sensors across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to improve air quality and strengthen the existing monitoring ecosystem.
Furthermore, the Confederation of Indian Industry developed a Corporate Air Emissions Reporting Guide to help businesses manage and report their air emissions, and their India CEO Forum for Clean Air is galvanising India's private sector to find solutions to poor air quality. The Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) Initiative is another example, where they worked with authorities in Delhi and Gurugram to conduct emissions testing of on-road vehicles and provided recommendations to the city governments.
These programmes and initiatives demonstrate the Indian government's commitment to improving access to clean energy options and addressing the country's air pollution crisis.
Pennsylvania's Noise Pollution Laws: What You Need to Know
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) Initiative worked with authorities to conduct emissions testing of on-road vehicles
India has some of the highest air pollution levels in the world, which poses a significant threat to the country's health and economy. Air pollution causes over 2 million premature deaths in India annually and costs the country 1.36% of its gross domestic product (GDP). As such, the Indian government has taken several steps to address this issue.
One notable initiative is The Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) Initiative, which has worked with authorities to conduct emissions testing of on-road vehicles. TRUE is a partnership between the FIA Foundation and the International Council on Clean Transportation, with support from the ICCT. The initiative aims to clean up vehicles, improve urban air quality, and mitigate climate change.
TRUE uses remote sensing technology to generate data on real-world vehicle emissions, which is then used to inform policymakers, regulators, consumers, and manufacturers. This technology employs contactless methods to measure the emissions of thousands of vehicles under actual driving conditions, providing an accurate assessment of vehicle emissions in urban areas. The data collected by TRUE is combined with existing databases to offer a comprehensive view of vehicle fleet emissions and track long-term trends. Additionally, TRUE researchers can perform granular analysis to identify high-emitting vehicle groups, compare the impact of different ambient conditions, and assess the emission performance of vehicles over time.
In Delhi and Gurugram, TRUE worked with local authorities to conduct emissions testing and provided recommendations to the city governments. The data generated by TRUE helped these cities understand the levels and causes of pollutant emissions from road transport and offered insights into effective measures for reducing emissions.
The TRUE initiative has also been instrumental in other cities worldwide, including Paris, London, Brussels, Warsaw, Sofia, Seoul, New York City, Jakarta, Mexico City, Abu Dhabi, and Bogotá. The data and analysis provided by TRUE support cities in developing effective air quality and climate policies, with independent real-world vehicle emissions data, technical analysis, and expert advice.
Industrial Pollution: 3 Key Environmental Impacts
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Indian government has taken several steps to address air pollution, including:
- Launching the National Clean Air Program to reduce particulate matter pollution by 30% by 2024, with a revised target of 40% by 2026.
- Implementing the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna program to improve access to clean energy options like LPG for marginalized households.
- Collaborating with the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) to establish a network of low-cost sensors to improve air quality monitoring.
- Working with the Clean Air Fund to enable improved generation of air quality data and provide technical assistance to state and city governments.
- Investing in city-specific air quality management plans and encouraging collaboration across local and national jurisdictions through the National Clean Air Programme.
- Setting aside $1.7 billion to fight air pollution over five years for 42 Indian cities with million-plus populations, provided they reduce air pollution by 15% annually.
Air pollution in India comes from various sources, including:
- Vehicle emissions, with some taxis and auto-rickshaws running on adulterated fuel blends that increase emissions of harmful pollutants.
- Industrial output and power plants, with India being the third-largest producer of greenhouse gases globally.
- Biomass burning for cooking and keeping warm in rural areas, with traditional fuel (fuelwood, crop residue, and dung cake) accounting for about 90% of domestic energy use in these regions.
- Crop residue burning in agricultural fields during autumn and spring, which is a cheaper alternative to mechanical tilling.
- Tyre pyrolysis plants, which recycle rubber tyres but contribute to severe air pollution.
Air pollution has significant economic and public health impacts in India:
- Economic Impact: Air pollution caused a loss of $36.8 billion, or 1.36% of India's GDP, in 2019. Achieving safe air quality levels in 2019 could have increased India's GDP by $95 billion. Cleaner air would result in lower absenteeism, higher productivity, increased consumer spending, and fewer premature deaths, benefiting the economy.
- Public Health Impact: Air pollution accounts for over 2 million deaths annually in India, according to the State of Global Air 2024. It leads to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, including asthma, bronchitis, COPD, lung cancer, and heart attacks. According to the WHO, around 7 million people die globally each year from exposure to fine particles in polluted air.
