Through presenting a series of case studies, this policy brief aims to provide a clear and actionable pathway for health ministries— particularly in LMICs—at national, subnational, and local levels to strengthen their capacity and develop their leadership to address air pollution-related health burdens. The brief is centered on two main objectives: To outline progressive measures and policies...

For over a century, fossil fuels have been at the root of global development, and today account for 80% of global energy consumption. Economic, social and health advances have been built on these valuable assets. Fossil fuels have enabled the heating of homes, transportation to jobs and vital services, powering of hospitals and sanitation systems, and the production and delivery of food. However, ...

This report provides an overview of air quality indexes used in 37 Member States of the WHO European Region and some observations/suggestions for future developments to improve risk communication on air pollution. In the Region, air quality information is widely available to the public, both online and through official mobile apps. Forecasted air pollution information is often reported alongside n...

Punjab has set a target to manage the entire 100 per cent (~20 million metric tonnes) of its paddy residue in 2024. The state aims to achieve this by scaling up the in-situ and ex-situ crop residue management (CRM) practices in the state. Last year, the state witnessed over 35,000 Kharif farm fires. While this stands lower compared to the cases reported during the pre-covid era, it continues to pl...

This study proposes a complementing approach to existing scientific studies in generating hyperlocal information on the causes of pollution in a city. The methodology has been developed and refined in close consultation and coordination with DoE (Department of Environment, (GNCTD)), Delhi. With a dedicated field team and geographic information system (GIS) tools, the study analyses data from a sys...

Real-time emission monitoring and reporting using continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS) has been mandated for Indian industries since February 2014. It is considered a technological leap for India's environmental governance system; an automated system is used to monitor air emissions from industry and supplies a sufficient amount of data directly to the environmental regulator on a continu...

This study assesses Delhi’s air pollution scenario in the winter of 2021 and the actions to tackle it. Winter 2021 was unlike previous winters as the control measures mandated by the Commission of Air Quality Management (CAQM) in Delhi National Capital Region and adjoining areas were rolled out. These measures included the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and additional emergency responses insti...

Using data from the nationally representative India Residential Energy Consumption Survey (IRES) 2020, this study reflects on the current state of clean cooking energy access in India, the progress made over the past decade, persisting gaps, and emerging trends. The study also assesses the barriers that need to be addressed to realise the dream of smoke-free kitchens in India, and proposes various...

This study examines the drivers of continued stubble burning in Punjab and reflects on the state's preparedness towards managing crop residue in the winter of 2021. It is based on a multi-stakeholder consultation that included interviews with officials from the Department of Agriculture, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, operators of Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) and representatives from farm unions across 17...

This study focuses on the ex-situ crop residue management and examines the economics of crop residue supply chain in Punjab. It compares the delivered cost of various types of biomass products such as bales, briquettes, and pellets to end-users. Further, it investigates the viability of the use of paddy residue in coal-fired power plants to supplement the use of coal in the state. The study also i...