Air pollution is a global health crisis, causing approximately seven million deaths worldwide each year according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Megacities, facing significant pollution challenges, are implementing various strategies to tackle this issue.

Strategies for Tackling Air Pollution:

• Clean Transport: Megacities are promoting cleaner and fewer automobiles, encouraging walking, cycling, and improving public transport to reduce vehicular emissions.
• Industrial Sources: Cities like Delhi are focusing on reducing dust from construction sites and transitioning to cleaner fuels and more efficient techniques to mitigate industrial emissions.
• Waste Management: Effective waste management is essential to prevent open burning, a significant contributor to air pollution. Regulation and infrastructure improvements are crucial components of city plans against pollution.
• Clean Energy: Cities worldwide, including those in China, are making strides in lowering pollution levels by transitioning to cleaner energy sources.

Impact of Air Pollution on Economic Growth:

• GDP Risk: The Reserve Bank of India's Department of Economic and Policy Research (DEPR) reports that up to 4.5% of India's GDP could be at risk by 2030 due to lost labour hours from climate change issues, including extreme heat and humidity.
• Economic Losses: Studies have shown large inter-state variations in economic losses due to air pollution, with the biggest impacts seen in states with low per-capita GDP such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
• Factors Contributing to Losses: Economic losses from air pollution manifest in lower labour productivity, consumer footfall, asset productivity, increased health expenses, welfare losses, and premature mortality.
• City-Specific Impact: Delhi has been identified as the city with the highest per-capita economic loss due to pollution among major Indian cities, highlighting the severity of the issue.

Addressing air pollution is crucial for economic growth, as it impacts productivity, healthcare costs, and overall welfare. Urgent measures are needed in megacities, where pollution levels are alarmingly high, to mitigate the adverse effects and pave the way for sustainable development.

AQI

Pollution in Northern India