7.2.a India's air pollution

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  • Created by: lee8444
  • Created on: 01-03-20 12:12

Causes and patterns of India's air pollution

Causes

  • Fuel and biomass burning
  • Traffick
  • GHG emissions
  • Indoor air pollution from cooking

Patterns

  • Has 13 of the 20 most polluted cities
  • Mainly Northeast India
  • Especially New Dehli and then east from there
  • Reduces life expectancy by 3%
  • Causes 1.3 million deaths annually
  • 30% lower lung function than Europeans
  • Bangalore - 50% of children have asthma
  • 99% of India's population breathes polluted air above safe levels
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PM 2.5

  • PM 2.5 - tiny air-borne particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres
  • WHO says safe levels are below 10 mg/ metre cubed
  • London - 18, NY - 19, Tokyo - 80
  • India set its own safe limit at 40 but this is exceeded
  • New Delhi often exceeds 600, hit 999 in 2017
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Impact on cancer

  • Significant rise in lung and bladder cancers caused by air pollution
  • 1 in 5 lung cancer cases is in non-smokers
  • The air is the equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes a day in some areas
  • 50% increase in lung cancer cases between 1988 and 2012
  • Linked to a third of all lung cancer deaths across India
  • Government is denying this link
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Global solution - Clean Air Asia

  • 2001 - USAID, World Bank, Asian Development Bank
  • New policies using effective practice in energy use and transport and industrial sectors to decrease greenhouse gas emissions
  • Specifically for India
  • Promotes sustainability
  • Educates Indians giving them the knowledge on how air pollution impacts health
  • They track air quality in 38 cities across India
  • Teaches kids between 12 and 14 for a more sustainable future
  • They assess current management to advise India on how to improve
  • Engage the youth on technological solutions to the air pollution
  • Encourage 13-35-year-olds to work together on air quality projects, campaigns, surveys and solutions
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National solution - National Clean Air Program (NC

  • Roadmap to prevent, control and reduce unhealthy air pollution
  • Expand the national air quality monitoring network
  • Strengthen public awareness
  • Increase capacity for air pollution management
  • Decrease PM levels by 20-30% by 2024 compared to 2017 levels
  • Initially a 5-year plan
  • Attempts to increase collaboration among governments and ministries
  • Initiatives on electric vehicles
  • Specific sectoral interventions for mitigating factors that contribute to air pollution in many cities
  • Includes the use of dust roads, industry emissions, transport emissions, agriculture and unsustainable waste management
  • A budget of $42.6 million for the first 2 years - deemed too low by many
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