Stunning Breakthrough! India’s Air Quality Improvement Boosts Life Expectancy by 51 Days: Inspiring Report
India’s Air Quality Improvements Extend Life Expectancy by 51 Days: EPIC Report
Significant reductions in India’s air pollution levels have extended the average life expectancy by 51 days for every citizen, according to a new report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC). The 2024 “Air Quality Life Index” report highlights a 19.3% drop in particulate pollution (PM2.5) in 2022 compared to 2021, marking the second-highest reduction globally after Bangladesh.
Researchers attribute this improvement to favorable weather conditions and fewer thermal inversions, which resulted in PM2.5 concentrations decreasing to approximately 9 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022. Notably, West Bengal and Jharkhand districts saw remarkable reductions, with PM2.5 levels dropping by over 20 micrograms per cubic meter.
However, despite these gains, the report cautions that Indians could still lose an average of 3.6 years of life expectancy if the nation fails to align with the World Health Organization’s annual PM2.5 standard of 5 micrograms per cubic meter. Avinash Chanchal, Campaign Manager at Greenpeace India, emphasized the significance of the findings, stating, “Even modest reductions in air pollution can significantly increase life expectancy. Low levels of air pollution still pose serious public health risks.”
The study also notes the positive impact of India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Districts covered by NCAP experienced a 19% decline in PM2.5 concentrations, compared to a 16% decline in non-NCAP areas. Launched in 2019, the NCAP aims for a 40% reduction in particulate pollution by 2026, using 2019-2020 as the base year. As of 2022, pollution in districts with non-attainment cities has declined by 18.8%, adding 10.8 months to the life expectancy of 446.7 million residents.
Innovative policies, such as Gujarat’s market for particulate pollution, have also shown promise, reducing pollution by 20-30% in Surat. Nevertheless, the report stresses that over 40% of India’s population still breathes air exceeding the national annual PM2.5 standard of 40 micrograms per cubic meter.
Original Story https://www.indiatodayne.in/national/story/indias-air-quality-improvement-adds-51-days-to-life-expectancy-report-1080757-2024-08-28?utm_source=rssfeed
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