EPIC report: India sees 19.3% drop in air pollution, boosts life expectancy

NEW DELHI: India witnessed a substantial 19.3 per cent decrease in particulate pollution in 2022 compared to 2021, marking the second-largest drop globally, following Bangladesh. This reduction, as reported by the “Air Quality Life Index” 2024 from the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), has potentially added an average of 51 days to the life expectancy of every Indian citizen.

The report also highlighted a crucial concern: if India does not meet the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) annual PM2.5 concentration guideline of five micrograms per cubic metre, Indians could lose an average of 3.6 years of life expectancy.

The reduction in particulate matter across India and other South Asian countries was attributed mainly to favourable weather conditions and fewer thermal inversions. Thermal inversions occur when a warm air layer traps cooler air near the ground, causing pollutants to accumulate.

India’s PM2.5 levels in 2022 averaged about nine micrograms per cubic metre, reflecting a reduction of 19.3 per cent from 2021. Notable improvements were recorded in West Bengal’s districts of Purulia and Bankura and Jharkhand’s districts of Dhanbad, Purbi Singhbhum, Paschim Singhbhum, Paschim Medinipur, and Bokaro, where PM2.5 levels dropped by more than 20 micrograms per cubic metre.

In the northern plains, India’s most polluted region, particulate matter levels decreased by 17.2 per cent in 2022 compared to 2021. Despite this progress, the average resident in these areas may still lose approximately 5.4 years of life expectancy if current pollution levels persist. However, if the reduction in particulate matter continues at the same pace, life expectancy in the region could increase by 1.2 years.

The report further noted that districts participating in India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) saw an average 19 per cent reduction in PM2.5 levels, while districts outside the programme experienced a 16 per cent reduction. Interestingly, except for Dhanbad, none of the districts with the highest reductions in PM2.5 concentrations were included in the NCAP framework.

Launched in 2019, NCAP is India’s first national initiative targeting clean air, with an initial goal of reducing particulate pollution by 20-30 per cent by 2024, using 2017 as the baseline. The revised target now aims for a 40 per cent reduction by 2026, with 2019-20 as the new base year. The programme covers 131 non-attainment cities that did not consistently meet the national ambient air quality standards between 2011 and 2015.

As of 2022, pollution levels in districts with non-attainment cities have decreased by 18.8 per cent relative to 2017, extending life expectancy by 10.8 months for 446.7 million residents in these areas and adding four months to India’s national average life expectancy. If India achieves the NCAP targets, residents in non-attainment areas could see an increase in life expectancy by two years compared to 2017, and the national average life expectancy could rise by an additional 7.8 months.

The EPIC team emphasised that over 40 per cent of India’s population is exposed to air pollution levels exceeding the country’s annual PM2.5 standard of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. However, India is making strides through innovative policies. In 2019, Gujarat launched the world’s first market for trading particulate pollution permits, achieving a 20-30 per cent reduction in pollution levels in Surat, with plans to expand the program to other cities and states.

These measures demonstrate that improving air quality and public health can be achieved without significantly impacting economic growth. The report also praised India’s clean cooking initiative, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, for reducing residential emissions, and noted the decrease in transport-related emissions due to reduced diesel fuel usage in the transport sector.