A recent report reveals that all 1.4 billion Indians live in areas where air pollution exceeds the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines. The study, conducted by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), highlights the severe public health crisis linked to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). According to the report, PM2.5 concentrations in 2023 were higher than in 2022, and the average level across India is more than eight times the WHO’s recommended standard.
Life Expectancy and National Efforts
The report estimates that if India were to permanently meet the global air quality standard, the average Indian could gain an additional 3.5 years of life expectancy. In the most polluted regions, such as the Northern Plains, 544 million residents could see an average gain of five years. Residents of Delhi, one of the world’s most polluted cities, could benefit the most, gaining an astounding 8.2 years if pollution levels were brought down to WHO standards. This makes air pollution a greater threat to life expectancy in India than smoking or child malnutrition.
In response to this crisis, India launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019, with a goal of reducing particulate pollution by 40% by 2026. While some progress has been made, with pollution declining by 10.7% in targeted cities since 2017, the report underscores that current efforts are still far from sufficient to meet the ambitious targets.