Context: A report named State of Global Air 2020 was recently released by the U.S.-based Health Effects Institute.

• According to the report, air pollution is the largest risk factor for death among all health risks in India.

Key findings related to India

• Long-term exposure to outdoor and household air pollution contributed to over 1.67 million annual deaths from stroke, heart attack, diabetes, lung cancer, chronic lung diseases and neonatal diseases in India in 2019.
• Outdoor and household particulate matter pollution also contributed to the deaths of more than 1,16,000 Indian infants in their first month of life in 2019.
• More than half of these deaths were associated with outdoor PM2.5.
• Others were linked to the use of solid fuels such as charcoal, wood, animal dung for cooking.
• India faced the highest per capita pollution exposure (83.2 μg/cubic metre) in the world, followed by Nepal and Niger.
• Countries with the least population exposure are below 8 micrograms (μg) per cubic metre.

Marginal Decline in Pollution Levels:

• The government has claimed that the average pollution levels in India are declining over the past three years. However, the decline is marginal, particularly in the Indo-Gangetic plains which see extremely high particulate matter pollution especially during winter.
• Although there has been a slow and steady reduction in household reliance on poor-quality fuels, the air pollution from these fuels continues to be a key factor in the deaths of these youngest infants.

Global Scenario

• Air pollution was the 4th leading risk factor for early death worldwide in 2019, surpassed only by high blood pressure, tobacco use, and poor diet.
• It contributed to around 6.67 million deaths globally from stroke, heart attack, diabetes, lung cancer, chronic lung diseases, and neonatal diseases in 2019.
• China (1.8 million) and India (1.6 million) together accounting for more than half of deaths from air pollution.
• South Asian countries, including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal, featured among the top 10 nations with the highest PM2.5 exposures in 2019.
• Outdoor and household particulate matter pollution contributed to the deaths of nearly 21% infants globally in their first month of life.
• India faced the highest per capita pollution exposure in the world (83.2 μg/cubic metre), followed by Nepal at 83.1 μg/cubic metre and Niger at 80.1.

Pollution and COVID-19

• After a decline in pollution due to the nationwide lockdown, pollution levels are rising yet again and air quality has dipped to ‘very poor’ category in several cities.
• Although the full links between air pollution and COVID-19 are not yet known, there is clear evidence linking air pollution and increased heart and lung disease, creating a growing concern that exposures to high levels of air pollution during winter months in South Asian countries and East Asia could worsen the effects of COVID-19.

Key Facts

• For the first time, the State of Global Air 2020 includes statistics on how pollution affects babies in their first month of life.
• Over 1.6 million annual deaths from stroke, heart attack, diabetes, lung cancer, chronic lung diseases and neonatal diseases in 2019.
• Programmes such as Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, National Clean Air Programme and among others are steps taken by authorities towards ensuring clean air at the indoor and outdoor levels.

Possible Steps that can be taken

• Concerted policies can be adopted to fight Air Pollution
• Financing innovative solutions to improve air quality
• Engaging and educate the vulnerable communities such as tribals, the poor about air pollution.