Polluted air killed 54,000 in Delhi: Greenpeace Report

In News: Air Pollution is excessively damaging in 6 Indian Cities as per Greenpeace Report.

Key findings of the Report

• Air pollution claimed approximately 54,000 lives in Delhi in 2020.
• 6 Indian cities were assessed and everywhere air pollution is excessively damaging.

• Globally, approximately 1,60,000 deaths have been attributed to PM 2.5 air pollution in the five most populous cities: Delhi, Mexico City, São Paulo, Shanghai and Tokyo.
• Cost Estimator, an online tool was deployed to access realtime health impact by using PM 2.5, population and public health data.
  • It was developed with collaboration between Greenpeace Southeast Asia, IQAir and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
  • Cost estimators also sustained the estimated air pollution-related economic losses of Rs. 1,23,65,15,40,000.
• ‘Willingness-to-pay’ approach: This new approach was used by Greenpeace to access the economic cost.
  • It is calculated by accessing monetary value which people are willing to pay  to avoid a lost life year or a year lived with disability.
• Out of the 28 global cities studied, Delhi bore the highest economic cost of air pollution despite a strict COVID-19 lockdown.

Other findings on Environmental Pollution

• Three environmental crises at present
  • Climate change.
  • Nature loss.
  • Pollution of air, soil and water.
• Irresponsible and indifferent actions of governments, financial institutions, businesses and individuals.
• In 2020, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced the world is headed for global warming of more than 3°C this century despite the Lockdown and reduced CO2 emission.
• The recent Dasgupta’s Global Review on the Economics of Biodiversity reminded the same about the environment.
  • Per capita stock of natural capital (the resources and services nature provides to humanity) has fallen by 40% in just over two decades.
  • A staggering nine out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air.

Way Ahead for Air Pollution

• UN’s Making Peace with Nature report: It has compiled all evidence of environmental decline with the most advanced ideas on how to reverse it.
  • It can act as a blueprint for a sustainable future that can secure human well-being on a healthy planet.
• Making People Aware: Sustainable Development Goals can’t be achieved by 2030 if climate change and ecosystem collapse.
  • • Environmental damage is undermining food and water supplies in the world’s poorest countries.
• Proper Economic Assessment of Losses: It may render the lucrative present day business models unviable.
  • Banks would stop funding fossil fuels.
  • Governments would shift trillions of Dollars in subsidies to eco-friendly technologies.
  • People also need to be sensitised for prioritizing health and well-being over consumption and shrink their environmental footprint.
• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): There is increasing compliance and at present 126 states are working to achieve net zero emission.
• Governments must also finally agree on the rules for a global carbon trading market.
• The $100 billion that developed countries promised to provide every year.
• Circular economic systems: It reuses resources, reduces emissions and weeds out the chemicals and toxins that are causing millions of premature deaths, all while creating jobs.

Conclusion

• Our environmental, social and economic challenges are interlinked. Further, the world is sitting on a ticking time bomb which needs urgent action as highlighted by various reports.
• Multi-pronged action should be taken by engaging all stakeholders to combat the severe problem. The current need is to show a unified stance by both developing and developed to tackle this mammoth challenge before humanity.

Source: TH