Air pollution is a serious concern for developing countries like India. The nation’s growing economy has been accompanied by severe air pollution, posing significant environmental risks and affecting vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and asthma patients. In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 99 per cent of the global population lives in areas with air quality below acceptable standards, contributing to 89 per cent of premature deaths in developing countries. Despite these challenges, developing nations often rely on traditional energy sources to minimise economic costs, further exacerbating air pollution.
Air Quality Index
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes around 7 to 8 million deaths annually, contributing to conditions such as asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Air pollution arises from exposure to particulate matter and pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide, all of which pose significant health risks.
According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), air quality is categorised as follows:
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0–50: Good
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51–100: Moderate
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101–200: Poor, unhealthy for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, and asthma patients
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201–300: Unhealthy
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301–500: Severe
Out of 34 Indian metropolitan areas and states, only 11 have good air quality, 14 are moderate, 4 are poor, 4 unhealthy, and 1 severe. Delhi is ranked in the “severe” category.
The Air Quality Action Forum (AQAF) held its Annual Conference in February 2023 in New Delhi, focusing on strategies to improve air quality and reduce pollution. However, Delhi’s air quality continues to deteriorate yearly.
Globally, air pollution was responsible for 8.1 million deaths in 2021, with India accounting for over 1.2 million of these fatalities annually. Alarmingly, 12 of the 15 most polluted cities in the world are in India. A WHO report revealed that 60 per cent of Indian cities have PM2.5 levels seven times higher than WHO guidelines. In 2019, the health-related economic losses attributed to air pollution in India amounted to $36.8 billion, equivalent to 1.36 per cent of the nation’s GDP.
India’s Commitment
India has committed to reducing its emissions faster than initially pledged. In 2022, India announced that its National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) aims to reduce particulate matter concentrations by 40 per cent by 2026. The country has also reaffirmed its commitment to tackling climate change under the Paris Agreement, as outlined in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These include a pledge to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45 per cent and ensure that 50 per cent of electric power generation comes from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
Additionally, the Indian government introduced the ‘LIFE’ (Lifestyle for Environment) movement, promoting sustainable living. Its long-term strategy includes achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, a commitment submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in November 2022.
However, three-quarters of India’s electric grid is still powered by coal, contributing significantly to emissions of PM2.5, sulphur dioxide (SO₂), and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ). PM2.5 refers to very fine particulate matter, around 30 times smaller than the width of human hair, which poses serious health risks. These particles originate from sources such as vehicle emissions, industrial processes, wildfires, and biomass burning, including wood, charcoal, and coal-fired power plants. In India, PM2.5 emissions predominantly come from the burning of biofuel and coal, accounting for 48 per cent of the total annual PM2.5 levels.
Challenges and Target
As energy demands in India continue to rise, the government has been reopening coal mines to reduce expenses. This year alone, 30 coal mines have been operationalised, with plans to reopen 100 more. India is the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs), with approximately 40 per cent of emissions coming from coal-based power plants. These plants currently generate over 70 per cent of the country’s electricity.
Despite this, India has made significant progress in renewable energy, securing its position as the world’s fourth-largest electricity producer from solar and wind energy, generating 107 GWh. Recently, the Central Electricity Authority announced an increase in electricity generation capacity from non-fossil sources to 203.18 GW, with a target of 500 GW by 2030. Solar energy contributes 90.76 GW, wind power 47.36 GW, large hydropower projects 46.92 GW, small hydropower projects 5.07 GW, and biomass and bioenergy 11.32 GW.
Nuclear energy, however, accounts for just 1.6 per cent (6,780 MU) of India’s total energy production. According to Union Minister Jitendra Singh, India’s installed nuclear power capacity is expected to triple by 2031-32, with an ambitious goal of achieving 1 lakh MW of nuclear capacity by 2047.
Transitioning away from coal mining and thermal power plants entirely is expected to take another 30 years and require an investment of Rs 84 lakh crore. However, during this period, countless lives will continue to be adversely affected due to pollution and environmental degradation.
To reduce the burning of solid fuels such as biofuels in India, the PM Modi government initiated the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in 2016 to help poor women shift from coal and wood to cooking gas. However, around 41 per cent of India’s population still rely on biomass for cooking, emitting 340 million tonnes of CO2 annually. In Bihar, 90 per cent of the population still use wood-fired stoves for cooking their food.
Air Pollution and Health
Delhi alone had 12,000 deaths every year between 2008 and 2019. A Lancet study revealed that around 2.3 million Indians died in 2019 due to pollution. In India, 7 per cent of deaths in 10 states are caused solely by air pollution. Approximately 34.3 million people in India suffer from asthma, with 80-90 per cent of asthma cases remaining undiagnosed, and air pollution exacerbating their condition.
According to the Global Burden of Disease 2021 report, India alone contributes to 46 per cent of global asthma deaths. The Supreme Court of India has periodically issued guidelines to reduce air pollution-related deaths, such as banning firecrackers, addressing deforestation caused by the state, taking strict actions on older vehicles, and making pollution certificates mandatory for all vehicles. However, every day around 464 children under the age of five die in India due to air pollution, according to a 2024 report by the State of Global Air (SoGa).
Air pollution is also responsible for 40 per cent of heart disease deaths, 33 per cent of lung cancer deaths, 20 per cent of type 2 diabetes deaths, 41 per cent of stroke deaths, and 70 per cent of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) deaths, as stated by Pallavi Pant of the Health Effects Institute in 2021.
The existing barriers to controlling air pollution in India stem from several factors, such as technological limitations, restricted access to technology to control pollution, the gap between rural and urban areas in adopting green energy sources, a centralised mechanism for driving pollution control, poverty, illiteracy, and limited funds to invest in green energy sources. Another major challenge includes regulatory frameworks and bureaucratic hurdles that restrict the enforcement of strict measures to tackle air pollution.
Addressing the multifaceted challenge of air pollution in India requires a concerted effort from all sectors—government, industry, and citizens—to embrace cleaner technologies, enforce stricter regulations, and ensure long-term sustainability for the health of future generations.
Dr Sumant Kumar works as an Associate Professor at the Alliance School of Liberal Arts, Alliance University. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.