Subject: Air Pollution and Related Issues

The MoEFCC launched NCAP in 2019 with the objective of improving air quality in 131 non-attainment and Million Plus Cities by engaging all relevant stakeholders.

Key Features of NCAP

Multi-sectoral initiative involving the coordinated efforts of the Central and State Governments, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)

Objectives

Achieve up to a 40% reduction in PM10 levels or to meet national standards (60 µg/m³) by 2025-26.

City specific targets ranging from 4-15% by implementing city specific action plans.

An annual target of 15% improvement in Good Days (Air Quality Index <200) has been prescribed for 49 Million Plus cities/Urban Agglomerations.

Funding Convergence – Mobilises resources from Central schemes (SBM-Urban, AMRUT), State/UT budgets and municipal bodies to finance City Action Plans

City-Specific Clean Air Action Plans (CAAPs) targeting transport, industries, road dust, waste burning, and construction sources.

Expansion of CAAQMS, manual stations, and low-cost sensors for strengthening Air Quality Monitoring

Source Apportionment studies to list and quantify the significant sources of pollution in a city

Performance-Based Funding – Annual city rankings under Swachh Vayu Survekshan

Significance of NCAP

First-ever effort in the country to frame a national framework for air quality management with a time-bound reduction target.

Focus on Non-attainment cities that have fallen short of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

Promotes Scientific and evidence-based Planning

Strengthens air quality data reliability nationwide.

Local Governance Reform – Enhances capacity of ULBs in environment management.

Aligns with India’s Panchamrit Targets in UNFCCC

Major Challenges

Non-Binding Targets – Reduction targets are not legally enforceable – weaken accountability.

Limited Capacity of ULBs/SPCBs – manpower shortage, and technical gaps.

Inadequate Monitoring Coverage – Rural areas and small towns remain excluded.

Poor Inter-State Coordination – Transboundary pollution not addressed effectively. Eg- stubble burning

Insufficient Behavioural Change – Continued preference for private vehicles and biomass burning.

Funding Constraints – Cities lack dedicated environmental budgets.

Overlaps between ministries leads to slow decision-making. Eg- between MOEFCC and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Way Forward

Empower municipal bodies for real-time emissions tracking. Eg- AI based dashboards.

Renewable energy transition. Eg- Rooftop solar power.

High-resolution air quality monitoring network at the construction site linked to automatic sprayers, mist cannons, or sprinklers to reduce dust

Adopting Global Best Practices – Eg- California’s reinvestment of pollution fines into green projects.

Vehicular Emission Control –

Use catalytic converters to reduce Nitrogen and carbon monoxide emissions,

Expand EV network

Regulatory measures – Odd-even and congestion pricing (London Model)

Waste to energy – Eg- biofuels from agriculture waste in Punjab, Haryana

Expand Urban Green Infrastructure – Eg- Singapore’s green urban planning

Strengthening NCAP supports India’s Panchamrit climate goals, cleaner-energy transition, and long-term sustainable development objectives.

Climate Change

According to the World Air Quality Report 2024 by IQAir, India is the 5th most polluted country, with an average PM2.5 level of 50.6 µg/m³, 10 times the WHO safe limit (5 µg/m³).

Key Points of the Revised WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs)

The 2021 AQGs set significantly lower recommended levels for major pollutants to better protect health.

Coverage of Six Key Pollutants – PM2.5, PM10, ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and carbon monoxide (CO).

Include stepwise interim targets to help countries progressively reduce pollution. Eg- Short-term and long-term average recommendations for NO₂ and CO

Provide guidance on specific particle types (black carbon, ultrafine particles)

Differences from the 2005 Update

More Stringent Pollutant Thresholds –

The annual PM2.5 guideline was halved, from 10 µg/m³ (2005) to 5 µg/m³ (2021)

PM10 and NO₂ limits are also significantly reduced.

Expanded Pollutant Coverage – include updated short-term exposure metrics and carbon monoxide.

Stronger Scientific Basis – incorporate global epidemiological data and new evidence on low-level health effects, unlike the more limited evidence base of 2005.

New emphasis on interim milestone targets for progressive improvement, unlike the broader recommendations in 2005.

Changes Required in India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)

Revise Reduction Targets to align with WHO’s stricter limits rather than the current 20-40% reduction targets.

Broaden the air quality monitoring network to include more cities, rural zones, and all six pollutants to match WHO standards.

Improve enforcement and adopt binding air quality targets rather than advisory ones

Implement an airshed-based approach that addresses transport, industry, biomass burning and regional pollution transport collaboratively.

Integrate health impact data and public communication into NCAP, promoting behaviour change

Strengthening NCAP to meet WHO AQGs supports India’s Panchamrit climate goals, and long-term sustainable development objectives.

Photochemical smog is a secondary air pollutant formed when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to produce oxidants like ozone and create a brownish haze in urban atmospheres.

Effects of Photochemical Smog

Human Health Impacts – Causes respiratory irritation, asthma, reduced lung function and cardiovascular stress.

In 2021, air pollution caused 2.1 million deaths in India (State of Global Air Report 2024)

Crop Damage – Ozone leads to leaf chlorosis, reduced photosynthesis and lower yields. Eg- Wheat and soybean show high ozone sensitivity.

Material Degradation – PAN and ozone corrode rubber, plastics, textiles and paints.

Reduced Visibility – affect transport and aviation safety. Eg- Delhi in winter

Mitigation of Photochemical Smog

Vehicular Emission Control –

Use catalytic converters to reduce Nitrogen and carbon monoxide emissions,

Expand EV network

Regulatory measures – Odd-even and congestion pricing (London Model)

Industrial Pollution Reduction – Installation of scrubbers, VOC capture systems.

Waste to energy – Eg- biofuels from agriculture waste in Punjab, Haryana

High-resolution air quality monitoring network at the construction site linked to automatic sprayers, mist cannons, or sprinklers to reduce dust

Expand Urban Green Infrastructure – Eg- Singapore’s green urban planning

Air Quality Forecasting & Alerts – Eg- GRAP-like measures during smog episodes.

1999 Gothenburg Protocol

Protocol to the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP)

Sets national emission ceilings for SO₂, NOx, VOCs and ammonia (NH₃).

Binding country-specific reduction targets for harmful emissions.

Updated in 2012 to include fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon.

Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism for transparency and accountability

Adopting WHO’s 4 Pillar Strategy is essential to achieve Clean India

Expanding the knowledge base

Monitoring and reporting

Global leadership and coordination

Institutional capacity strengthening

CCUS refers to a suite of technologies that capture CO₂ emissions from different sources, and utilise it in industrial processes or store it underground in geological formations.

Potential Role of CCUS in Tackling Climate Change

Reduction of Industrial Emissions – Essential for hard-to-abate sectors (cement, steel, refineries) where alternatives are limited.

Support for Net-Zero Goals by complementing renewables and hydrogen.

Negative Emissions – Combining bioenergy with CCUS can generate negative emissions by removing CO₂ already in the atmosphere.

Energy Transition Support – Allows continued use of coal, oil, and gas during transition. Eg- Retrofitting coal power plants with CCUS.

Utilization for Economic Value – Converts CO₂ into value-added products (synthetic fuels, green chemicals, carbonated beverages).

Mitigation of Climate Risks – keeping global warming below 1.5°C-2°C (Paris Agreement).

Promotes Carbon Circular Economy – Eg- CO₂ mineralisation to produce green cement.

Geological Potential in India – Studies suggest India has 400-600 Gt CO₂ storage capacity in depleted oil & gas reservoirs and saline aquifers.

Challenges in Artificial Carbon Sinks

High Costs and Limited Affordability – Eg- Direct Air Capture (DAC) costs around $250-$600 per tonne of CO₂ removed (IEA, 2022), while planting trees costs less than $50/tonne.

High Energy Use and Carbon Footprint Risk – A 2021 study in Nature Energy found that DAC powered by natural gas could re-emit up to 30% of captured CO₂.

Storage Risks – Eg- claims of leaking in Weyburn project in Canada in 2011.

Delays in Deployment and Lack of Scale – As of 2023, all DAC facilities worldwide together remove less than 0.01% of annual global CO₂ emissions (Global CCS Institute).

Moral Hazard: Risk of Reducing Pressure to Cut Emissions was highlighted in the UNEP Emissions Gap Report (2022), warning against “over-optimism in carbon removal pathways.”

North-South Divide – Rich countries and large corporations dominate carbon removal tech, leaving developing nations behind in access and decision-making.

Way Forward

Scale up CCS and DAC technologies with funding, incentives, and carbon pricing to meet net-zero targets. (IEA, 2021)

Include engineered carbon removal targets in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). (IPCC AR6, UNFCCC COP26)

Invest in R&D to lower DAC costs to below $100/tonne and support pilot-scale deployment.

Combine artificial sinks with nature-based solutions like afforestation and soil carbon sequestration.

For India, CCUS provides a pathway to decarbonization without compromising energy security.

Disaster Management

Disaster Management Policy