Environmental pollution in India - statistics & facts
India has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, but rapid urbanization and industrialization have been detrimental in many ways to the country’s environment and the health of its inhabitants. Human-induced actions have contributed to high levels of water contamination and land degradation, as well as poor air quality that is attributable to millions of premature deaths in the country every year.
In 2019, the government of India launched the National Clean Air Program, which has set the target of reducing particulate matter pollution in cities by 40 percent from 2017 levels by 2026. This will require increased investment in air pollution monitoring systems, stricter regulations for polluting industries, and increased awareness about air pollution and its health impacts.
India’s air pollution crisis
Air pollution continues to be one of the most pressing and pervasive environmental issues in India. In 2022, India was one of the most polluted countries in the world, recording average PM2.5 concentrations of roughly 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3). This was 10 times higher than the World Health Organization’s new recommended limits. Meanwhile, Delhi was the second-most polluted capital city in the world that year, with PM2.5 concentrations reaching almost 90 µg/m3. PM2.5 are fine particles that have a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less and can stay in the air for long periods of time and pose significant risks to human health when concentrations are high. These pollutants are produced by various sources in India, including crop residue burning, vehicles, industrial processes, and electricity generation – particularly from coal-fired power plants. It is believed that more than 96 percent of India’s population are exposed to hazardous concentrations of these harmful pollutants.In 2019, the government of India launched the National Clean Air Program, which has set the target of reducing particulate matter pollution in cities by 40 percent from 2017 levels by 2026. This will require increased investment in air pollution monitoring systems, stricter regulations for polluting industries, and increased awareness about air pollution and its health impacts.
