According to the World Bank (2023), 9 of the world’s 10 most polluted cities are in South Asia, signalling a shared airshed crisis. The recurring India–Pakistan smog of 2024, and synchronized pollution peaks across Delhi, Lahore, Dhaka, and Kathmandu show that pollution is a shared regional problem.
Air Pollution as a Transboundary ‘Airshed Crisis’:
Shared Geography & Meteorology:
- Winter inversion traps pollutants across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh simultaneously. For example, During NW–SE wind flow, 30% of Punjab (India)’s PM2.5 originates from Pakistan and 30% of Bangladesh’s urban pollution comes from India.
- World Bank identifies six major airsheds, including two spanning India–Pakistan and India–Bangladesh.
Transboundary Movement of Emissions:
- Satellite imagery of the 2024 India–Pakistan Smog showed “brown clouds” drifting across borders.
- About 50% of Delhi’s PM2.5 originates outside Delhi, and half of that comes from Haryana & UP, demonstrating internal airsheds too.
Common Anthropogenic Drivers:
- As per Greenpeace Air Quality Report 2023, key sources across South Asia include Industrial emissions & brick kilns, Vehicular emissions, Crop residue burning, Waste burning and Solid-fuel usage in households.
High Economic & Health Costs:
- As per the World Bank report, South Asia loses 3% of GDP to air-pollution-related productivity losses. These costs transcend borders, indicating a regional development crisis.
- Air quality reduces life expectancy by up to 5–9 years in the IGP belt.
Need for a Regional Airshed-Based Strategy:
· Individual City Efforts Are Insufficient: Even if Delhi implements all pollution-control measures by 2030, PM2.5 will remain above 35 µg/m³ unless neighbouring states and countries cooperate.
· Scientific Evidence of Cross-Border Dependence: World Bank shows that airsheds behave like shared atmospheric basins, requiring shared policies. Technological measures (e.g., smog towers) cannot address regional pollutant flows.
· Successful Global Precedents: ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore) and Nordic Council cross-border emissions protocols adapt regional approach. But South Asia lacks any comparable architecture.
Regional Airshed-Based Strategy:
· Regional Policy Coordination: Establish a South Asian Clean Air Forum with India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and harmonize fuel standards, vehicular norms, and emissions standards.
· Joint Monitoring: A shared South Asian Air Quality Grid with joint PM2.5 monitoring, cross-border emission inventories and real-time satellite data sharing should be adapted.
· Coordinated Sectoral Interventions:
- Agriculture: region-wide alternatives to stubble burning such as Happy Seeder, bio-decomposers.
- Industry: Common emissions standards for brick kilns, thermal plants.
- Transport: Cross-border EV corridors, regional freight management.
- Multi-Stakeholder Engagement: Involve state governments, municipalities, civil society, and private sector.
- Financial Cooperation: Leverage World Bank Regional Grants, UNEP Airshed Programs and SAARC Development Fund for cleaner technologies, R&D, monitoring systems.
Conclusion:
A coordinated, regional airshed strategy, based on scientific evidence, shared accountability, and harmonized policies is essential to reduce PM2.5 exposure, prevent massive economic losses, and protect public health across South Asia.
‘+1’ Value Addition:
- Delhi–Lahore smog 2024: Satellite-proven cross-border haze movement.
- 30% of Indian Punjab’s PM2.5 comes from Pakistan during NW winds.
- 7.5 lakh deaths annually can be avoided through coordinated airshed action as per World Bank.
- ASEAN haze treaty shows the significance of a regional airshed cooperation treaty.
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