On 14th December, 2022, the World Bank released a report, titled 'Striving for Clean Air: Air Pollution and Public Health in South Asia'.
Background
Key Highlights of the Report: Exposure to PM 2.5: Over 60% of South Asians are exposed to an average of 35 µg/m3 of PM2.5. In some parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) it spiked to as much as 100 µg/m3 – nearly 20 times the upper limit of 5 µg/m3 recommended by the WHO.
The report shows that current policy measures will only be partially successful in reducing PM2.5 concentrations across South Asia, even if fully implemented.
Airsheds: According to the report, South Asia has the following six large airsheds, where spatial interdependence in air quality is high, that is, the air quality in one can affect the air quality in another.
When the wind direction was predominantly northwest to the southeast, 30% of the air pollution in Indian Punjab came from the Punjab Province in Pakistan and, on average, 30% of the air pollution in the largest cities of Bangladesh (Dhaka, Chittagong, and Khulna) originated in India.
Airsheds
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