Why does South Asia have the world’s worst air pollution?
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Why does South Asia have the world’s worst air pollution?

Al Jazeera  

Smog-ridden cities in Bangladesh, Pakistan and India had the poorest air quality last year, says report. Pakistan scored 73.7 while India’s air had 54.4 micrograms of PM2.5 particles per cubic metre on average over the last year. The report found that poor air quality in South Asia is often down to “brick kiln and other industrial emissions, agricultural waste burning, and cremation practices”. Annual crop burning – whereby farmers in India and Pakistan burn plant residue after harvesting rice to prepare the fields for wheat plantation – is also a contributor to air pollution. According to the Air Quality Life Index published by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago in August 2023, the average Indian’s life expectancy is reduced by 5.3 years due to PM2.5 pollution.

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History of this topic

Air pollution deaths in India rose from 4.5 million to 7.3 million in 10 years: Lancet
1 week, 5 days ago

Air pollution deaths in India rose from 4.5 million to 7.3 million in 10 years: Lancet

India Today  

Long-term exposure to air pollution is claiming millions of lives in India, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. Over the decade, approximately 3.8 million deaths were attributed to air pollution levels exceeding India's air quality guideline of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. While India's national air pollution control programme, launched in 2017, aims …

Air pollution is a national problem. Can you live with it?
2 weeks, 4 days ago

Air pollution is a national problem. Can you live with it?

Live Mint  

These numbers reflect the air quality levels in different corners of Parth Phiroze Mehrotra’s house in a posh south Delhi neighbourhood. “Before this, I had 10 air purifiers in the house for over three years," says Phiroze Mehrotra, 38, editor-in-chief of publishing house Juggernaut Books. And then there are residents like Phiroze Mehrotra, who are finding ways to shield themselves—he’s …

Seven-year-long IIT-Kanpur study reveals worst pollution trends in Delhi
3 weeks, 6 days ago

Seven-year-long IIT-Kanpur study reveals worst pollution trends in Delhi

India Today  

Air pollution remains a persistent environmental challenge for Delhi, with rising levels of particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, severely affecting air quality. The findings of the study, from 2017 to 2023, also suggest that 10 pm to 11 am is the worst time for PM2.5 pollution owing to atmospheric conditions. Researchers from IIT proposed a public advisory to address pollution-related health …

Breathless in India: Polluted air isn't Delhi's problem alone anymore
3 weeks, 6 days ago

Breathless in India: Polluted air isn't Delhi's problem alone anymore

India Today  

As Delhi, like every year, struggles with unhealthy air, the weather conditions continue to make India’s fight against pollution worse. Delhi’s air quality remains in the “very poor” category even though the Graded Response Action Plan has been taken a notch down. The government has told Parliament that air pollution in Delhi and the National Capital Region is driven by …

Declining air quality in India - a primer on how to survive living with poor AQI
1 month ago

Declining air quality in India - a primer on how to survive living with poor AQI

The Hindu  

The combination of festive activities and the onset of winter have further deteriorated the Air Quality Index in certain States and Union Territories across India forcing the Union Health Ministry to issue an advisory directing state health departments and healthcare facilities to enhance their preparedness to safeguard the health of public against the ill-effects of rising air pollution levels. Experts …

How China won pollution battle as India allows Delhiites to choke to death
1 month ago

How China won pollution battle as India allows Delhiites to choke to death

India Today  

No sighting of the sun for days. BEIJING VS DELHI: SEEING IS BELIEVING WHEN IT COMES TO AQI Kyle Chan, a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton University, shared charts in 2023, showing how Beijing's air pollution had improved over the years, but Delhi's looked "mostly unchanged". Beijing's air pollution has improved over the years, while Delhi's appears to remain mostly unchanged. …

India unable to meet WHO air quality standards; airshed approach, US-style EPA needed, says former WHO chief scientist
1 month ago

India unable to meet WHO air quality standards; airshed approach, US-style EPA needed, says former WHO chief scientist

Live Mint  

New Delhi: Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist at the World Health Organization, says India should adopt an “airshed approach” to analyze its air pollution crisis and set up an environment protection agency to enforce government rules with strict action. They come as the air quality index in Delhi spikes record levels, forcing the state government to issue emergency orders, …

Delhi air crisis discussed at COP29: Experts term it a public health emergency
1 month ago

Delhi air crisis discussed at COP29: Experts term it a public health emergency

India Today  

Engulfed in smog, Delhi’s air pollution crisis has become a central topic at the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan. With the city’s Air Quality Index surpassing 500 and touching hazardous levels, the issue has drawn global attention to the public health emergency unfolding in India’s capital. Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, Executive Director of Malaysia’s Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, emphasised …

Pakistan air pollution: This city hits 1600 AQI, becomes world’s most polluted
1 month, 1 week ago

Pakistan air pollution: This city hits 1600 AQI, becomes world’s most polluted

Hindustan Times  

Pakistan Air pollution: As several states in northern India continue to battle worsening air pollution, areas in Pakistan are recording the worst air quality index in the world this November. In the worst case of air pollution in the world, an area in Pakistan's Lahore recorded an AQI of nearly 1600 on Friday. In fact, four areas in Lahore had …

Delhi air pollution: Is Delhi now the world's most polluted city?
1 month, 1 week ago

Delhi air pollution: Is Delhi now the world's most polluted city?

India Today  

Delhi's air quality has become so dire that it is being compared to Lahore, the world’s most polluted city, according to Swiss air quality group IQAir. LAHORE POLLUTION CRISIS Lahore, the capital of Pakistan's Punjab province, has seen its air quality plummet to hazardous levels, earning it the rank of the world’s most polluted city, according to Swiss air quality …

Toxic smog smothering India's capital smashes WHO limit
1 month, 1 week ago

Toxic smog smothering India's capital smashes WHO limit

Raw Story  

Residents of India's capital New Delhi choked in a blanketing toxic smog Wednesday as worsening air pollution surged past 50 times the World Health Organization's recommended daily maximum. That is more than 53 times the World Health Organization recommended daily maximum of fine particulate matter -- dangerous cancer-causing microparticles known as PM2.5 pollutants that enter the bloodstream through the lungs. …

Toxic smog in Pakistan is so bad you can see it from space
Top News
1 month, 1 week ago

Toxic smog in Pakistan is so bad you can see it from space

CNN  

CNN — Record-breaking levels of thick, toxic smog that have shrouded eastern Pakistan and northern India since last month can be seen in striking satellite imagery. NASA Worldview/CNN Satellite imagery from NASA Worldview shows heavy smog over Pakistan’s Punjab province and parts of northwest India on November 10, 2024. NASA Worldview/CNN Satellite imagery from NASA Worldview shows heavy smog over …

Divided by borders, united by smog! Delhi struggles with ‘very poor’ AQI, as Pakistan’s Multan crosses 2,000-mark
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Divided by borders, united by smog! Delhi struggles with ‘very poor’ AQI, as Pakistan’s Multan crosses 2,000-mark

Live Mint  

Air Pollution in India and Pakistan: Across South Asia, hazardous air quality has become an urgent concern. Meanwhile, Delhi, India’s capital, continues to battle persistent pollution, with dangerous air quality levels choking the city for the ninth consecutive day. Multan AQI crosses 2,000 Mark In Multan, the air quality index hit a staggering 2,135 between 8 am and 9 am …

Smog sickness: India's capital struggles as pollution worsens
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Smog sickness: India's capital struggles as pollution worsens

Hindustan Times  

The toxic smog season in India's capital has just begun, but those unable to escape cancer-causing poisonous fumes say the hazardous impact on health is already taking its toll. New Delhi regularly ranks among the world's most polluted capitals, with a melange of factory and vehicle emissions exacerbated by agricultural fires blanketing the city each winter, stretching from mid-October until …

Delhi, Lahore, & Dhaka: Is South Asia becoming the world's ‘smog capital’?
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Delhi, Lahore, & Dhaka: Is South Asia becoming the world's ‘smog capital’?

Firstpost  

Air pollution has become a pressing issue in South Asia every winter. Pakistan’s Lahore has been rated as the world’s most polluted city, with an air quality index score of 1165, more than 120 times the levels recommended by the World Health Organization. IQAir rated Lahore the world’s most polluted city, with an air quality index score of 1165, more …

Pakistan’s Punjab shuts schools, sets up ‘smog war room’ over air pollution
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Pakistan’s Punjab shuts schools, sets up ‘smog war room’ over air pollution

Al Jazeera  

Record-high air pollution is sending more people to hospitals and clinics, according to doctors in Lahore. “Looking at the predicted air wind and air quality index, we are closing all higher secondary schools,” said Marriyum Aurangzeb, a senior minister in Punjab, during a press conference in Lahore on Wednesday. Record-high air pollution in Lahore is sending more people to hospitals …

Lahore Air Pollution Soars to Record High, Pakistan Minister Blames India
Trending News
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Lahore Air Pollution Soars to Record High, Pakistan Minister Blames India

India Today  

Lahore, Pakistan, has recorded the highest air pollution levels globally, with a record-breaking AQI of 1,067. The city's air quality index has been consistently high, with the previous day's reading exceeding 1,000. The situation has prompted the authorities to impose a week-long closure of schools and a green lockdown plan for 50% of employees. Measures such as bans on polluting …

Pakistan and India: A Call for Climate Diplomacy to Combat Air Pollution
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Pakistan and India: A Call for Climate Diplomacy to Combat Air Pollution

CNN  

Pakistan province seeks cross-border collaboration with India to address severe air pollution impacting major cities in both countries. The smog-choked province, Punjab, is suffering from extreme air pollution, with major cities like Lahore seeing record smog levels. Both India and Pakistan have faced challenges with air pollution, but the issue is escalating, prompting a need for cooperation to mitigate the …

Why India’s Delhi Has One of World’s Worst Air Pollution Problems
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Why India’s Delhi Has One of World’s Worst Air Pollution Problems

Bloomberg  

Hundreds of millions of Indians breathe some of the world’s most toxic air all year round. Air pollution in the capital area that’s home to about 30 million people is especially stubborn. This November, the capital saw some of the highest levels of pollution on record, and one measure of pollution in New Delhi frequently exceeds the World Health Organization’s …

Delhi country’s third most polluted city in first half of 2024: CREA data
5 months ago

Delhi country’s third most polluted city in first half of 2024: CREA data

Hindustan Times  

Delhi ranked as the country’s third most polluted city out of 256 cities in the first half of the year, according to an analysis of average PM 2.5 data by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air that was released on Monday. Among the 256 cities analysed using Central Pollution Control Board data on PM 2.5, the report …

Air pollution exposure leading to deaths even when meeting Indian norms: Study
5 months, 2 weeks ago

Air pollution exposure leading to deaths even when meeting Indian norms: Study

Hindustan Times  

Air pollution exposure can cause deaths even at levels much lower than what is considered the Indian national standard, according to a new study published in Lancet Planetary Health. The report found that across 10 major cities in India — Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Shimla, and Varanasi – around 33,000 deaths every year are attributable to …

Air pollution linked to 8.1 million deaths in 2021, second-leading cause globally
6 months ago

Air pollution linked to 8.1 million deaths in 2021, second-leading cause globally

India Today  

Air pollution is impacting human health heavily, becoming the second leading risk factor for death globally. The State of Global Air 2024 report was released on Wednesday, which shows that in 2021, air pollution accounted for 8.1 million deaths globally, including more than 7,00,000 children under five years old. The effects of improving air quality and energy access have led …

Bihar's Begusarai, ‘world's most polluted city in 2023’; India ranks 3rd globally: Swiss report
9 months ago

Bihar's Begusarai, ‘world's most polluted city in 2023’; India ranks 3rd globally: Swiss report

Hindustan Times  

Bihar's Begusarai topped the list as the “most polluted metropolitan area in 2023”, while Delhi has been identified as the capital city with the “poorest air quality” among global nations, as per the findings of the World Air Quality Report 2023 by the Swiss organization IQAir. India ranked third worst out of 134 countries in terms of average annual PM2.5 …

India was 3rd most polluted country in 2023, Delhi most polluted capital: Report
9 months ago

India was 3rd most polluted country in 2023, Delhi most polluted capital: Report

Hindustan Times  

NEW DELHI: India was the third most polluted country in 2023 after Pakistan and Bangladesh, according to the World Air Quality Report based on data from the Swiss firm IQAir. The report, which was released on Tuesday and is based on data from over 30,000 air quality monitoring stations across 7,812 locations in 134 countries, territories, and regions, said 42 …

How Delhi retained title of being world's most polluted capital city
9 months ago

How Delhi retained title of being world's most polluted capital city

Firstpost  

The World Air Quality Report 2023 published by the Swiss organisation IQAir has deemed Delhi as the world’s most polluted capital city. As per the study, PM2.5 levels in the capital worsened from 89.1 micrograms per cubic metre in 2022 to 92.7 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 Delhi is once again the world’s most polluted capital city, marking the …

Delhi world's most polluted capital city again: Report
9 months ago

Delhi world's most polluted capital city again: Report

Hindustan Times  

New Delhi, Bihar's Begusarai emerged as the world's most polluted metropolitan area while Delhi was identified as the capital city with the poorest air quality, according to a new report. HT Image With an average annual PM2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre, India had the third worst air quality out of 134 countries in 2023 after Bangladesh and …

Air pollution and geopolitics lead to cross-border challenges in South Asia
11 months ago

Air pollution and geopolitics lead to cross-border challenges in South Asia

The Hindu  

The air smells burnt in Lahore, a city in Pakistan’s east that used to be famous for its gardens but has become infamous for its terrible air quality. Experts are calling for greater cross-border cooperation among countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and India to address air pollution together rather than working in silos on a city-by-city basis. ‘Same problems’ “There’s …

Bangladesh capital most polluted as toxic smog engulfs South Asian cities
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Bangladesh capital most polluted as toxic smog engulfs South Asian cities

Al Jazeera  

The capitals of India and Bangladesh see thick layers of toxic smog, ‘very poor’ air quality as normal lives are affected. Dhaka briefly emerged as the world’s most polluted city on Wednesday, with a “hazardous” index level of 325, according to Swiss climate monitor IQAir. “With all the mega projects like the metro rail overhead, there is a lot of …

No more hot air about air pollution
1 year ago

No more hot air about air pollution

The Hindu  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his colleagues in the Bharatiya Janata Party must have forgotten what they have said about the menace of air pollution in their manifesto for the 2014 elections. In the million-plus cities where the National Clean Air Programme is supposed to have done miracles, people still experience tortured breathing in the aftermath of profit-motivated growth for …

How can India monitor air pollution-related illnesses effectively? | Explained
1 year, 1 month ago

How can India monitor air pollution-related illnesses effectively? | Explained

The Hindu  

The story so far: For a brief period in October, Mumbai’s air quality matched the stifling haze that covered the national capital, where people complained of burning eyes, choking and troubled breathing. Weaving health in climate action plans helps plot local patterns of diseases related to air pollution, says Dr. Pallavi Pant, who leads the Health Effects Institute’s Global Health …

Delhi Pollution: No respite for residents as air quality in Delhi remains 'severe' category
1 year, 1 month ago

Delhi Pollution: No respite for residents as air quality in Delhi remains 'severe' category

Firstpost  

Delhi’s air quality ranks among the worst in the world’s capital cities. According to a report compiled by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago in August, air pollution is shortening lives by almost 12 years in Delhi. The poisonous haze blanketing Delhi thickened on Wednesday with the air quality across Delhi continuing to be in the ‘severe’ …

Explainer: Why is South Asia the global hotspot of pollution?
1 year, 1 month ago

Explainer: Why is South Asia the global hotspot of pollution?

Hindustan Times  

Toxic levels of air pollution are disrupting the lives of millions of people in South Asia forcing closure of schools, impacting sporting events and leaving governments urging people to stay in doors to avoid health problems. South Asia has become the global hotspot for air pollution, with studies finding four of the world's most polluted countries and nine of the …

In Frames | Gasping for breath
1 year, 1 month ago

In Frames | Gasping for breath

The Hindu  

In the Annual World Air Quality Report released by IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company, India is ranked eighth among countries with the worst air quality index. Editorial | Tiding over: On north India and its annual air quality inflection point in November Winter sees a spike in air pollution as the drop in temperature renders it difficult for …

Hazardous air quality forces school closures in India, Pakistan
1 year, 1 month ago

Hazardous air quality forces school closures in India, Pakistan

Al Jazeera  

Delhi chokes at an air quality index level of 320 while Lahore sees the day’s worst air quality in the world at 432, according to Swiss group, IQAir. Air quality levels in the city were higher than 320 on the air quality index on Wednesday, a level categorised as “hazardous” by Swiss group IQAir, although it was not as bad …

Delhi air quality improves, but it still remains most-polluted Indian city: Study
1 year, 2 months ago

Delhi air quality improves, but it still remains most-polluted Indian city: Study

India Today  

Delhi remains the most polluted city in India despite a reduction in air pollution, a study by the Central Pollution Control Board has revealed. The other NCR cities on the top 10 list also showed an improvement with their PM2.5 levels being reduced by 11 and 25 per cent. Air pollution levels during peak months The findings showed that PM2.5 …

The northern plains of India is the most polluted region | Data
1 year, 3 months ago

The northern plains of India is the most polluted region | Data

The Hindu  

Data from the Air Quality Life Index 2021 shows that failure to meet the World Health Organization ’s guideline on reducing PM2.5 pollution to 5 μg/m3 would cut global life expectancy by 2.3 years. According to AQLI data, from 2013 to 2021, particulate pollution in South Asia surged by 9.7%, which is estimated to reduce life expectancy in the region …

Air Pollution Cuts Life Expectancy of Average Indian by 5.3 Years, Says Alarming Report
1 year, 3 months ago

Air Pollution Cuts Life Expectancy of Average Indian by 5.3 Years, Says Alarming Report

News 18  

Air pollution poses the most significant risk to human health in India as it reduces the average Indian’s life expectancy by 5.3 years, according to the new findings from the Air Quality Life Index. If the world were to permanently reduce fine particulate pollution to meet the World Health Organization’s guideline, the average person would add 2.3 years onto their …

Air pollution now a major risk to life expectancy in South Asia: Study
1 year, 3 months ago

Air pollution now a major risk to life expectancy in South Asia: Study

The Hindu  

Rising air pollution can cut life expectancy by more than five years per person in South Asia, one of the world's most polluted regions, according to a report published on August 29 which flagged the growing burden of hazardous air on health. The region, which includes the world's most polluted countries of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, accounts for more …

Air pollution cuts life expectancy by five years in South Asia: EPIC study
1 year, 3 months ago

Air pollution cuts life expectancy by five years in South Asia: EPIC study

Al Jazeera  

The region accounts for more than half of the total life years lost globally to pollution, University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute says. Rising air pollution can cut life expectancy by more than five years per person in South Asia, one of the world’s most polluted regions, according to a report which flagged the growing burden of hazardous air on …

Scientists Identify Paths For Reducing Air Pollution in India
1 year, 5 months ago

Scientists Identify Paths For Reducing Air Pollution in India

News 18  

Researchers have evaluated the contribution of various emission sectors and fuels to small particulate matter for 29 states in India and six surrounding countries, identifying potential pathways to reduce air pollution and improve population health across South Asia. “Countries in South Asia have substantial emissions and associated air pollution and mortality burden,” said study first author Deepangsu Chatterjee, a doctoral …

15 Indian cities feature in list of top 20 most polluted cities in the world
1 year, 6 months ago

15 Indian cities feature in list of top 20 most polluted cities in the world

Deccan Chronicle  

HYDERABAD: India fared terribly in the air pollution index for the year 2022, according to a report by a Swiss air quality technology company IQAir. In its report, the Swiss company has named 15 Indian cities in top 20 most polluted cities list and in the list of top 50 most polluted cities, it has named 39 Indian cities, indicating …

14 of top 20 most polluted cities in the world from India
1 year, 6 months ago

14 of top 20 most polluted cities in the world from India

Hindustan Times  

India fared badly on air pollution index in 2022 even though it improved three places from the previous year on the list of countries with worst air quality, according to a report. According to the annual world air quality report published by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, 15 out of top 20 most polluted cities in the world are …

Lahore is most polluted city, Chad worst among countries - survey
1 year, 9 months ago

Lahore is most polluted city, Chad worst among countries - survey

Firstpost  

Lahore’s air quality worsened to 97.4 micrograms of PM2.5 particles per cubic meter from 86.5 in 2021, making it the most polluted city globally. Islamabad: Lahore in Pakistan jumped more than 10 places to become the city with the worst air in the world in 2022, according to an annual global survey by a Swiss maker of air purifiers. IQAir …

India ranks eighth among countries with the worst air quality index: World Air Quality Report
1 year, 9 months ago

India ranks eighth among countries with the worst air quality index: World Air Quality Report

The Hindu  

India has ranked eighth in the list of countries with the worst air quality index and 12 of the 15 most polluted cities in Central and South Asia are in India, according to the Annual World Air Quality Report released by Swiss air quality technology company, IQAir. The 5th Annual World Air Quality Report released by IQAir, states that roughly …

Lahore most polluted city, Pakistan third among countries: Survey
1 year, 9 months ago

Lahore most polluted city, Pakistan third among countries: Survey

Al Jazeera  

IQAir report says India and Pakistan experienced the worst air quality in the Central and South Asian regions in 2022. Lahore’s air quality worsened to 97.4 micrograms of PM2.5 particles per cubic metre from 86.5 in 2021, making it the most polluted city globally. India’s air seven times worse than WHO levels India has some of the most polluted cities …

This Indian City is the Most Polluted in Asia And It’s Not Delhi
1 year, 9 months ago

This Indian City is the Most Polluted in Asia And It’s Not Delhi

News 18  

Gandhinagar, Guwahati and Mumbai were among the top ten most polluted cities in Asia on Monday. According to the latest data available on the World Air Quality Index, pollution levels touched hazardous levels in GIFT City, Gandhinagar with an air quality index of 724, the highest in the list at the time of filing of this report. The AQI between …

The illogical rejection of the idea of South Asia
1 year, 11 months ago

The illogical rejection of the idea of South Asia

The Hindu  

It is an ill-wind that blows throughout the neighbourhood. This is particularly illogical when you consider that all South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation nations are members of the Group of 77 Developing countries, which under the chairpersonship of Pakistan last year, negotiated a breakthrough at the COP27 Climate Change summit at Sharm el-Sheikh, but are unable to convene a …

Curbing air pollution in India needs efforts across South Asia: World Bank report
2 years ago

Curbing air pollution in India needs efforts across South Asia: World Bank report

The Hindu  

India has six large airsheds, some of them shared with Pakistan, between which air pollutants move. What this means is that even if Delhi National Capital Territory were to fully implement all air pollution control measures by 2030 while other parts of South Asia continued to follow current policies, it wouldn’t keep pollution exposure below 35 µg/m3. “Given the findings, …

Season of smog grips Delhi along with many north Indian cities
2 years, 1 month ago

Season of smog grips Delhi along with many north Indian cities

The Hindu  

Published : Nov 17, 2022 10:25 IST Diwali celebrations in October kick-started the annual air pollution emergency in New Delhi and the political blame game as well. Dimri, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s School of Environmental Sciences, air pollution in north Indian States is an alarming issue throughout the year. “Rapid urbanisation means more industries, more construction activity, increased …

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