South Asia air pollution fell in 2022, but remains major killer: report

In 2022, South Asia experienced an unexpected improvement in air quality, which contributed to a global decline in pollution levels, according to the latest Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report from the University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute (EPIC). Despite this positive development, South Asia remains the region with the world's most polluted air, significantly affecting residents' life expectancy.

For two decades, air pollution in South Asia had been steadily increasing. However, satellite data from 2022 revealed an 18% decrease in PM2.5 levels—tiny particulate matter harmful to health—across the region, except for Sri Lanka. The report suggests that favorable weather conditions, particularly above-average rainfall, likely played a role in this decline, although it is too early to determine if policy changes contributed as well.

Despite the improvement, the air quality in South Asia is still eight times worse than what the World Health Organization (WHO) considers safe. The region's pollution levels are severe enough to reduce life expectancy by over 3.5 years on average. The report emphasizes the need for continued monitoring and policy enforcement to sustain and understand the reductions in pollution levels.

Globally, the decline in South Asia's pollution led to a 9% reduction in air pollution worldwide. However, other regions, such as the Middle East and North Africa, saw a 13% increase in pollution levels. The report highlights the ongoing challenge of insufficient air quality data, particularly in highly polluted countries, which hampers effective policy-making and intervention.

The report also points to China's success in reducing air pollution by 41% since 2013 through various measures, including limiting car usage in major cities, reducing industrial capacity, and restricting coal plants. These efforts have increased the average life expectancy by two years in China. However, pollution levels in China still exceed WHO guidelines, and the improvements are not evenly distributed across the country.

The AQLI report underscores the critical need for more investment in air quality monitoring and policy enforcement globally, especially in regions where pollution poses a significant threat to public health.