Overview
On November 26, 2019, the Second Committee of the 74th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 7 September as the “International Day of Clean Air for blue skies”. The resolution stresses the importance of, and urgent need to, raise public awareness at all levels and to promote and facilitate actions to improve air quality.
Held under the theme "Invest in #CleanAirNow", this year's observance emphasizes the urgent need for stronger partnerships, increased investment, and shared responsibility to combat air pollution. It is the second leading risk factor for death, causing around 8.1 million premature deaths annually from conditions such as stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
Statistics help us grasp the magnitude of the issue: 99% of people worldwide breathe polluted air; air pollution was responsible for 8.1 million deaths in 2021, with over 90% associated with noncommunicable diseases; and more than 700,000 children under five deaths were from causes related to household and outdoor air pollution.
Delhi NCR chokes from November to January. The Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimated the air pollution- related premature deaths in India to be 692,425 in 2010 which multiplied since then. A spike in air pollution in Indian cities that have clean air may raise death rates higher than in cities that have higher pollution loads. Thus, the same increase in air pollution in, say, Bengaluru, can raise death rates more than in Delhi, which has much higher background levels of air pollution.
If we act now, we can halve global crop losses from air pollutants by 2050. Reducing emissions of methane, an important greenhouse gas and air pollutant, could save billions. The cost of inaction is staggering, with air pollution estimated to cost the global economy $8.1 trillion per year, equivalent to 6.1% of the global GDP due to increased healthcare costs.
Patron:
- Prof. (Dr.) Sibaram Khara, Vice Chancellor, Sharda University
- Prof. (Dr.) Parma Nand, Pro Vice Chancellor, Sharda University
Advisor:
- Prof. (Dr.) Anviti Gupta, Dean, SSHSS, Sharda University
- Dr. Hariom Sharma, Associate Dean, Sharda University
