AIR POLLUTION: THINGS YOU MUST KNOW

The continuous deterioration in the quality of air is an alarming situation for all of us. As per a study made in 2019, out of the 30 most polluted cities in the world, 21 were in India. According to a report by CEEW (Council of Energy, Environment and Water), more than 670 million Indians would breathe poor quality air in 2030 despite compliance with pollution control policies. Don’t you think, it’s a matter of concern?

TABLE OF CONTENT :

Air Pollution , Causes, and Effects

Pollution Control Policy of Government : Success Or Failure

Then V/S Now

Steps To Be Taken For Impoving The Air Quality

Buisness Magnates Coming Up For This

AIR POLLUTION: CAUSES AND EFFECT

Air pollution is the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings or cause damage to the climate or to materials.

There are many different types of air pollutants, such as gases (including ammonia, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, methane, carbon dioxide, and chlorofluorocarbons), particulates (both organic and inorganic), and biological molecules.

CAUSES :

45 % of pollution is caused by Dust and Construction, 17% from waste burning, 14% from transport, 8% from industries, and so on.  In autumn and spring months, large-scale crop residue burning in agriculture fields – a cheaper alternative to mechanical tilling – is a major source of smoke, smog, and particulate pollution. In rural areas of the country, much of the pollution stems from biomass burning for cooking( what about hiking prices of gas cylinders, not everyone can afford it ) and keeping a warm environment in winters.

Certain gases in the atmosphere can cause air pollution. For example, in cities, a gas called ozone is a major cause of air pollution. Ozone is also a greenhouse gas that can be both good and bad for our environment. It all depends where it is in Earth’s atmosphere.

Ozone high up in our atmosphere is a good thing. It helps block harmful energy from the Sun, called radiation. But, when ozone is closer to the ground, it can be really bad for our health. Ground-level ozone is created when sunlight reacts with certain chemicals that come from sources of burning fossil fuels, such as factories or car exhaust.

When particles in the air combine with ozone, they create smog. Smog is a type of air pollution that looks like smoky fog and makes it difficult to see. I’m sure you must have seen this picture before – The Delhi Smog.

EFFECTS :

ON HUMAN – Air pollution is a significant risk factor for a number of pollution-related diseases, including respiratory infections, heart disease, COPD, stroke, and lung cancer. Outdoor air pollution alone causes 2.1to 4.21 million deaths annually. Indoor air pollution is causing about 3.8 million deaths per year. Overall, air pollution causes the deaths of around 7 million people worldwide each year and is the world’s largest single environmental health risk.

ON ENVIRONMENT – It may damage the natural environment: Climate change, Ozone depletion, Habitat degradation, Acid rain, and most important Global Warming.

Global warming: The 2-degree increase in global average surface temperature that has occurred since the pre-industrial era (1880-1900) might seem small, but it means a significant increase in accumulated heat. That extra heat is driving regional and seasonal temperature extremes, reducing snow cover and sea ice, intensifying heavy rainfall, and changing habitat range for plants and animals—expanding some and shrinking others.  

POLLUTION CONTROL POLICY OF GOVERNMENT : SUCCESS OR FAILURE

NATIONAL CLEAN AIR PROGRAMME (NCAP)

The Central Government launched( dear Modi Ji ki gov.)National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019 as a long-term, time-bound, national-level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner with targets to achieve a 20% to 30% reduction in Particulate Matter concentrations by 2024 keeping 2017 as the base year for the comparison of concentration. Under NCAP, 122 non-attainment cities have been identified across the country.

CURRENT SCENARIO

Unaccountability due to lack of legal mandate

Legislation is critical for the effective implementation of clean air plans because it sets legally mandated targets, procedures, and responsibilities. Without it, any failures on the part of the agencies responsible to prepare and execute clean air plans cannot be questioned, the report said.

Multiple agencies, fragmented responsibility

“Studies have often cited the lack of coordination and integration in planning across concerned agencies and departments as the reason state- and central government-introduced schemes have failed in the past,” said the report.

Poor information about emission sources

Out of 122 cities, Only 25 cities’ clean air plans contain collated information about emission sources, the analysis said.

Lack of funds for an action plan

As for central assistance, so far, the financial help has been very low. In 2019-20, the government of India set aside Rs 460 crore for all pollution control activities. In 2019-20, of the 102 non-attainment cities, the environment ministry disbursed Rs 10 crore for 28 cities with populations of one million-plus. Modi Govt Spent Rs 713.20 Crore of Taxpayers’ Money on Ads Last Year, RTI Reveals.

THEN V/S NOW

CO₂ CONCENTRATION.

Over the past 171 years, human activities have raised atmospheric concentrations of CO₂ by 48% above pre-industrial levels found in 1850. This is more than what had happened naturally over a 20,000 year period (from the Last Glacial Maximum to 1850, from 185 ppm to 280 ppm).

OZONE DEPLETION

Global emissions of ozone-depleting substances have declined by more than 99% since 1986 (the year before international action was agreed). Ozone layer thickness declined, and the Antarctic ozone hole grew substantially from the 1980s through to the early 2000s. Through the first decade, this trend largely stabilized and we now see initial signs of recovery. You must be thinking Thank god , kcuh to achha ho rha hai

GLOBAL WARMING

According to the vast majority of climate scientists, the planet is heating up. Scientists have concluded that this appears to be the result of increased human emissions of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, which trap heat near the surface of Earth. I’m sure, a question must have been raised in your mind that ” is an increase of 0.5 degrees celsius a big problem”? So, let me tell you, first you imagine the size of this planet and the total population, even a 0.1-degree increase matters.

STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO IMPROVE THE AIR QUALITY

AT NATIONAL LEVEL

Most of the sources of urban air pollution are outside of the influence of individuals and will require action by cities and national governments. To find solutions to air pollution in developing countries, it is important that nations which are in the process of heavy industrialization or will be in this process, develop air pollution standards.

Cleaner methods of transportation, better waste management, better methods of energy production, and technology to reduce emissions will need to be created by government agencies and private interests. Developing countries should pursue the reduction of emissions from industrial smokestacks, invest in renewable energy sources, prioritize rapid and communal transit, and provide options for cycling and walking in cities.

“The WHO air quality guidelines can be used as thresholds and goals for limiting air pollutants. Reducing particulate matter emissions down to 20 mcg/m³ from 70 mcg/m³ could cut the amount of pollution-related deaths by around 15%,” says Wood at Camfil. 

It’s important for national and city level governments to prioritize the development of healthy urban air. The improvement of air quality will cut down on health costs from air pollution related ailments, and improve life expectancy and worker productivity. Reducing air pollution in developing countries will also help protect the climate and environment in general. It’s important for developing nations to find a balance between economic growth and air quality to protect the health and standard of living of their citizens.

CASE STUDY ON HOW AUSTRALIA IMPROVED ITS AIR QUALITY

By world standards, Australia has very clean air, but there is still work to do. Challenges to maintaining and improving our air quality include population growth, more people living in cities, and growing demand for energy and transportation. Ranking 95/106 countries with the worst air quality index in 2020. To help ensure a clean air future, Australia’s Environment Ministers established the National Clean Air Agreement to help governments prioritize national actions to address air quality issues.

The Australian Government takes a lead role in national issues such as fuel quality and vehicle emissions as well as implementing Australia’s international obligations. In addition, the Australian Government is able to take a national approach on issues that have been identified by all Australian governments and includes the decision to manage noxious emissions from outdoor powered equipment and propulsion marine engines through the Product Emissions Standards Act 2017 and Product Emissions Standards Rules 2017.

IMPROVING AIR QUALITY AT YOUR HOME

Especially, those who are living in urban areas have the risk of deteriorating level of air at their home itself. In this pandemic time, while sheltering in place may protect us from the virus, our homes are far from safe as far as indoor air quality goes. But when we think of indoor air, pollution doesn’t come to mind. We think of outdoor air as being polluted from exhaust fumes, industrial smokestacks, and burning piles of garbage. These are some tips and techniques for better indoor air :

• Keep bathrooms well-ventilated
• Avoid smoking when indoors
• Steer clear of cleaning products with toxic chemicals
• Keep dust away
• Improve indoor ventilation
• Avoid strong fragrances
• Use indoor plants

BUSINESS MAGNATES COMING UP FOR THIS

The world’s wealthiest people have never been richer, and their carbon footprint has expanded as a consequence. Some of the very richest are actively engaged in fighting climate change, while others, not so much. 

A recent UN report found that the richest 1% of the world population accounts for 15% of emissions. “The wealthy bear the greatest responsibility in this area,” the report found, referring to changes in consumer behavior prioritizing low-carbon consumption. “This elite will need to reduce their footprint by a factor of 30 to stay in line with the Paris Agreement targets,” it added.

So what are the richest of the rich, the top 10 wealthiest individuals in the world, doing through either their personal or corporate influence to help the world avoid the worst consequences of climate change? 

It’s a mixed picture. While Jeff Bezos has made big pledges—$10 billion to the climate and billions of dollars to be spent by Amazon to reduce its carbon footprint —he’s only just begun to make headway on those. Bill Gates is heavily engaged in the topic, having written a book called How To Avoid A Climate Disaster which was published in February. Tesla CEO Elon Musk arguably spurred many other automakers to start making electric cars and is well known for his statements on climate change. Warren Buffett remains opposed to climate risk disclosure at Berkshire Hathaway. 

Their businesses are more likely to make public pledges to sustainability than they have personally expressed. Several have signed on to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a coalition of international organizations such as the United Nations Global Compass that supports and independently assesses business commitments to set net-zero carbon targets. Meeting such targets would prevent a global temperature increase of more than 1.5 Celsius, experts predict. The SBTi has set two deadlines: first, halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, followed by hitting net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Companies have two years to submit their targets once they commit to the SBTi.

These billionaires’ other investments, philanthropic initiatives, and personal opinions complete the picture of what their commitments to sustainability and a carbon-neutral future look like.

”OKAY, NOW WHAT?”

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.“

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