The northern plains of India is the most polluted region

Source: The post is based on the article “The northern plains of India is the most polluted region”  published in The Hindu on 4th September 2023

What is the News?

The Air Quality Life Index 2021 has been released.

What is the Air Quality Life Index?

Released by: Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) 

Purpose: It is a pollution index that quantifies the relationship between long-term exposure to particulate pollution and life expectancy.

What are the key findings of the Air Quality Life Index?

Pollution and Life expectancy: Pollution remains the foremost external threat to human health around the world.

– Its impact on life expectancy rivals that of smoking, surpassing alcohol use, unsafe water, and even exceeding car crash injuries.

– If the world were to permanently reduce fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guideline, the average person would add 2.3 years onto their life expectancy.

South Asia: South Asia is home to the four most polluted countries in the world and nearly a quarter of the global population.

– Between 2013 to 2021, particulate pollution in South Asia surged by 9.7%, which is estimated to reduce life expectancy in the region by an additional six months.

Most polluted countries in the world: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan where 22.9% of the global population lives are the four most polluted countries in the world.

– In Bangladesh, people potentially lost an average of 6.8 years of life due to air pollution not meeting WHO guidelines.In contrast, the average person from the U.S. lost just 3.6 months.

China: China stands out due to its success in reducing pollution by a staggering 42.3% from 2013 to 2021 and extending the average life expectancy of its population by 2.2 years.This reduction can be attributed to the country’s policy initiatives to combat pollution in 2014.

India: India is the second-most polluted country in the world in 2021.

– The average Indian resident is set to lose 5.3 years of life expectancy if WHO guidelines remain unmet.In contrast, cardiovascular diseases reduce the average Indian’s life expectancy by about 4.5 years, while child and maternal malnutrition reduces it by 1.8 years.

– Delhi is the world’s most polluted city.If the PM2.5 level in Delhi is reduced to meet the WHO guideline, a resident in Delhi could gain 11.9 years in life expectancy.

– Northern plains, which is home to over half a billion people and 38.9% of India’s population, is the most polluted region. 

– The northern plains include the States and Union Territories of Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

– In the northern plains, the average resident is set to lose about 8 years of life expectancy if pollution levels persist and policies do not succeed in reducing pollution to levels as prescribed by the WHO.