India is walking a fine line. while efforts to reduce air pollution are crucial for public health, cutting certain types of pollution especially aerosols might actually increase the risk of extreme heat, warns bhargav krishna an environmental governance expert from the sustainable futures collaborative.
In a conversation with down to earth Krishna explained that aerosols, which come from burning fossil fuels, industrial emissions and biomass, can cool the atmosphere by reflecting sunlight. but when we reduce these pollutants it can speed up surface warming, making already hot summers worse.
Data from nasa shows that india has warmed less than other parts of the northern hemisphere since 1951. this could be due to heavy aerosol pollution and widespread irrigation, both of which suppress temperature rise. however, this “cooling” effect comes at a heavy cost millions of lives lost each year due to air pollution.
krishna citing findings from the global burden of disease study and other research “our latest studies suggest around 2.1 million deaths every year in india are linked to air pollution but the solution is complex. we need policies that understand the relationship between air pollution, climate change and heat stress.”
According to krishna, there’s no clear timeline for solving india’s air pollution crisis, because it’s not just about cleaning the air it’s about understanding how multiple environmental risks interact. his recent study looked at how air pollution may worsen the impact of extreme heat, leading to even more deaths.
If india reduces aerosol pollution surface temperatures may rise faster. this can worsen the health effects of heatwaves and increase levels of ground-level ozone, especially in summer. so far, ozone has not reached dangerous levels, but that may change.
krishna stressed the need for stronger policies that don’t treat air pollution, heat, and climate separately. “we need to stop working in silos,” he said. “as climate change pushes temperatures higher, we must think about how it affects farming, jobs, housing, and the rising need for cooling. it’s all connected.”
when asked about the government’s response, krishna said india has made progress in dealing with heat emergencies, but long-term planning is still weak. “the indian state is good at managing crises floods, cyclones, heatwaves but it hasn’t yet developed the systems to build long-term, integrated solutions.”
India faces a future with hotter days and heavier pollution burdens, experts like krishna say smarter, cross-sector planning is the only way forward.