World Bank Report on Air Pollution - The Hindu - 17/12/22

Context:
Recently, the World Bank released a report titled 'Striving for Clean Air: Air Pollution and Public Health in South Asia'.
The report details how persisting with policies currently being implemented (largely since 2018) will yield results but not to the desired level.
Relevance:
GS3
About:
Highlights of the Report:
1. Airsheds: Six large airsheds exist in South Asia, where the air quality in one can affect the air quality in another. They are: West/Central Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) ; Central/Eastern IGP ; Middle India ; Middle India ; Northern/Central Indus River Plain ; Southern Indus Plain and further west
2. Exposure to PM 2.5: Currently over 60% of South Asians are exposed to an average 35 µg/m3 of PM2.5 annually.
3. Dominant Sources of Air Pollution: combustion of solid fuels for cooking and heating, emissions from small industries such as brick kilns, burning of municipal and agricultural waste, and cremation.

Suggestions:
1. Reducing Airsheds: Governmental measures can reduce particulate matter, but significant reductions in airsheds require coordinated policies across the airsheds.
2. Changing Approach: need to change their approach in order to improve air quality and reduce pollutants
3. Close Coordination Required

-Airsheds: The World Bank defines an airshed as a common geographic area where pollutants get trapped, creating similar air quality for everyone.

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