State of Global Air Report 2024, India's Situation and Measures

State of Global Air Report 2024, India’s Situation and Measures

State of Global Air Report 2024 showed that air pollution has become the 2nd leading global risk factor for death. Check here India's Situation in Air Pollution and Measures to tackle them.

Table of Contents

Context: Recently, the State of Global Air (SoGA) Report 2024 showed that air pollution has become the second leading global risk factor for death.

India’s Situation in Air Pollution

India reported 2.1 million deaths due to air pollution.
India reported the highest number of pollution-linked deaths in children under five, with at least 169,400 deaths in this demographic.
Air pollution in India has been a persistent issue, especially noticeable during winter when smog blankets large parts of the country.

Inadequate Measures

Efforts to combat air pollution in India have largely been reactive and insufficient, such as spraying water to reduce dust and implementing the odd-even vehicle scheme.
Despite clean air plans in many cities, there has been a failure to adequately link pollution with public health, leading to insufficient long-term strategies.

Impact on Children

Children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution due to their higher air intake per kilogram of body weight, developing organs, and weaker defence mechanisms.
Exposure to pollutants increases the risk of ailments like asthma, upper respiratory tract infections, childhood leukaemia, and high blood pressure in children.

Facts

Together, China and India account for over 55% of global air pollution-related deaths in 2021.
489,000 deaths globally were attributable to ozone exposure in 2021.
Nearly 50% (237,000) of these ozone-related deaths occurred in India.
- Short-term ozone exposure exacerbates asthma and respiratory symptoms.
- Long-term ozone exposure is linked to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
The State of Global Air (SoGA) report is released by the Health Effects Institute (HEI), an independent U.S.-based nonprofit research organisation, in partnership with UNICEF.

Hope and Progress

Since 2000, the global death rate linked to air pollution among children under five has decreased by 53%.
This reduction is attributed to increased access to clean cooking energy, better healthcare, improved nutrition, and heightened awareness.
Stricter air quality policies and the promotion of hybrid and electric vehicles in regions like Africa, Latin America, and Asia have shown measurable benefits.

Lessons for India

With 42 out of the 50 most polluted cities globally, India faces a significant challenge.
A 2022 study indicated that even municipal employees in India have low awareness of air pollution’s link to serious health conditions like cancer and heart diseases.
To address this issue effectively, India must prioritise the health of its citizens, particularly children, in its pollution control strategies.

Conclusion

The report emphasises the need for comprehensive and sustained action to combat air pollution.
Prioritising public health, particularly of the most vulnerable groups, is essential in developing effective solutions to this pressing issue.