If India reduced its air pollution to comply with the WHO air quality standard, its people could live about four years longer on average, or a combined more than 4.7 billion life years.

Compliance with its own national standards could yield only more than one year in the bargain, or a combined more than 1.6 billion life years.

This is as per projections of the Air Quality-Life Index (AQLI) brought out by the Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) at the University of Chicago.

Diwali day air

For instance, Delhi’s air quality level of ‘very poor’ on Diwali day was best in past three years but climbed to ‘severe’ level a day after.

Particulate matter (PM) 2.5, among the deadliest components of air pollution, was assessed at 154µg/m³, over two and half times the satisfactory levels.

EPIC estimates that there are currently an estimated 4.5 billion people around the world exposed to particulate pollution levels that are at least twice what the WHO considers safe.

Among most polluted

India, it says, is one of the most polluted countries in the world and air pollution is a major threat to health.

If the country were to reduce the pollution levels to WHO standards, some of the greatest gains are seen to accrue to some of its largest cities such as Delhi.

People in the national capital could live six years longer if the country met its own standards, and nine years longer if it satisfied WHO standards.

Likewise, the people of Kolkata and Mumbai could live roughly 3.5 years longer if the country met WHO standards. India is already taking action to reduce pollution, EPIC noted.

Working with centre

EPIC is working here with the Centre and several State pollution control boards to implement the world’s first emissions trading programme for particulate pollution in India. ,

Michael Greenstone, Director, EPIC, said the high levels of air pollution are a part of people’s lives in India, just as they were in the US, England, Japan and other countries in the past.

The last several decades have seen tremendous progress in many of these countries. But this progress did not happen by accident and it was the result of policy choices. “As India navigates the dual and conflicting goals for economic growth and environmental quality, the AQLI provides a tool to make the benefits of policies to reduce air pollution concrete,” he added.