India hits new air pollution peak, threatening to drag down GDP

World leader in pollution

New Delhi once again topped a real-time list of the world's most polluted cities compiled by Swiss group IQAir, with the Indian capital's AQI at 640 in the "hazardous" category on Friday, nearly double the 335 reading of second-placed Lahore, Pakistan.

India's cricket World Cup stadium is shrouded in air pollution. Photo: Reuters

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) rating scale, New Delhi's AQI is also 12 times higher than the clean air level (Green level, with AQI from 0-50). At such a level, WHO warns, people with health problems, underlying diseases, the elderly and children may be at risk.

Indian officials say a combination of falling temperatures, stubble burning in the neighboring states of Haryana and Punjab during the growing season, and the monsoon have brought smog into Delhi. In recent days, Punjab has seen a 740% increase in stubble burning, with more than a thousand incidents reported in a single day.

Other sources of pollution in the city include vehicle exhaust, construction and burning of waste at waste treatment plants. However, Delhi’s early warning system for pollution is said to have failed to predict the rapid deterioration that occurred late Thursday.

Delhi - the metropolitan area that includes the capital New Dehli, home to about 33 million people - is regularly ranked as the world's most polluted city. According to this year's Air Quality of Life Index compiled by the University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute, Delhi residents could have their lives shortened by 11.9 years due to the air they breathe.

Doctors in Delhi say they have seen the effects of pollution on the city’s residents. “The number of patients with respiratory problems is increasing, more and more people are suffering from cough, cold, watery eyes and discomfort, and breathing problems. People of all ages are affected by this. It is time we all wear masks and go out only when necessary,” Nikhil Modi, a doctor at Apollo Hospital in Delhi, told The Guardian.

Covering all areas

This year, worsening air quality is also casting a shadow over the 2023 Cricket World Cup hosted by India, as not only New Delhi but also Mumbai, the country's financial capital, are experiencing spikes in pollution levels.

The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi was scheduled to host Bangladesh against Sri Lanka on Monday, while the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai was to host Australia against Afghanistan two days later. Both cities were expected to welcome large crowds. But the poor air quality may have some people thinking twice about venturing out.

The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) this week announced a ban on fireworks during the remaining matches of the 2023 World Cup as an anti-pollution measure. Players have also expressed concerns about the toxic air, with England star Joe Root complaining of breathing difficulties during a match and India captain Rohit Sharma calling for everyone to do their part to improve the environment for "future generations".

Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CTI) has also sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to convene an urgent meeting with the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh to address the rising air pollution in the national capital. CTI Director Brijesh Goyal said that despite the festive season, business activities of enterprises have declined as people have limited their activities on the streets to avoid inhaling the smog.

Threat to economic growth

Air pollution in New Delhi, or in India more broadly, is not a new problem. According to statistics from the Times of India late last year, South Asia's largest country was ranked as the fifth most polluted country in the world. The list of the 30 most polluted cities in the world in 2022 also includes 21 Indian cities.

India has launched a National Clean Air Programme to reduce PM2.5 pollution by 20-30% by 2024. However, the general focus on air pollution in India so far has been limited to its impact on public health. In fact, the bigger picture is that poor air quality also affects the economy.

According to estimates by the Indian Express, air pollution costs Indian businesses $95 billion, or about 3% of GDP, each year. According to estimates by the World Economic Forum (WEF), air pollution causes Indian employers to lose nearly $6 billion a year in wages, or 1.3 billion working days.

Sri Lankan cricket players must wear masks on the training ground during the World Cup in India - Photo: Telegraph India

On days when air pollution reaches hazardous levels, employers see a 10% drop in office attendance, driven by temporary health issues and the need to care for elderly and out-of-school children. Without such family burdens, workers could increase productivity and add $24 billion to the Indian economy, the WEF estimates.

Poor air quality also quietly erodes the consumer economy. As consumers cut back on outdoor activities to avoid pollution, they spend less. The Times of India reported that air pollution reduces consumer spending by 1.3%, costing Indian businesses as much as $22 billion in lost revenue. In the months of January, November and December, when pollution levels are at their highest, consumer spending fell threefold.

Of course, there are different ways to measure this. For example, a World Bank report published by The Wire in July this year found that increased air pollution reduces India’s annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth by 0.56 percentage points.

But by any frame of reference, all the data lead to one conclusion: polluted air is seriously threatening the economic take-off ambitions of the world's most populous country.

Quang Anh

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/an-do-lai-lap-dinh-ve-o-nhiem-khong-khi-khi-khoi-bui-de-doa-keo-lui-gdp-post271231.html