We are pleased to share a recently published four-part series in the Hindustan Times on India’s air pollution crisis. Written in collaboration with leading air pollution researchers, the series takes stock of what we know about India’s air pollution so far, and discusses problems we need to consider as we plan for the future.

Understanding the curse of air pollution

Navroz K Dubash and Santosh Harish

December 19, 2018

When, how much, and where we should worry about air pollution? In short, the answers are: most of the time, a lot, and all over India. Air pollution is a year-round problem, and not just restricted to winters. Annual average levels in many parts of India are multiple times the WHO and Indian safe levels – not just in cities or industrial areas, but across the region.

Public health in India a casualty of air pollution

Kalpana Balakrishnan and Shibani Ghosh

December 20, 2018

The evidence that we have about the health impacts of air pollution sends a clear message – there is a crisis unfolding in India. Commissioning additional studies on emissions and impacts will undoubtedly help guide future policy actions. But currently available information and knowledge on health effects and exposure attribution to sources is more than sufficient to move us into ‘mission’ mode.

Delhi has a complex air pollution problem

Navroz K Dubash and Sarath Guttikunda

December 21, 2018

There are at least four discrete sectors that each substantially contribute to Delhi’s pollution: industry; transport; biomass and waste burning; and dust. We must recognise we are dealing with a multi-headed problem, that progress on all sources is needed, that we may not see progress immediately but should stay the course, and that solutions need to be tailored to the specific characteristics of each pollution source.

Air pollution: India is waking up, but there’s a long way to go

Navroz K Dubash, Shibani Ghosh, and Santosh Harish

December 22, 2018

India is waking up to the costs of air pollution. But we have only taken initial, reactive measures toward addressing the challenge. We now need to move to systematic actions built on the foundations of political pressure, public engagement and strategic institutional action.

For more updates on the Clearing the Air series, follow the Initiative on Climate, Energy, and Environment on Twitter and Facebook, or visit the Clearing the Air? project page.