Air

Much before air pollution emerged as a critical health and environment issue in India, we developed state-of-the-art capacities for studying air quality. Our research focusses on a range of issues, including ambient air quality and apportionment of contributing source , indoor air quality assessment for urban and rural households, regional scale assessment, impacts on health and agriculture, and capacity building of stakeholders for better management. Our research and analyses have been taken into account by policy makers for improvements in various standards and policies.

air

NEW IN AIR

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    Report

    Cost effectiveness of interventions for control of air pollution in Delhi

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    Project

    Support to Government of Uttar Pradesh for establishment of Strategic and Policy Advisory Unit for Uttar Pradesh Clean Air Management Programme (UP CAMP)

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    Explainer

    How evidence-based actions can help achieve breathable air in Indian cities

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    Event

    TERI showcases Urban Air Pollution Solutions at the “Clean Air Blue Sky Days” in Jaipur

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    Event

    स्वस्थ शरीर के लिए निशुल्क स्वास्थ्य शिविर

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Projects

Articles

Clean Air, Choked Finance: Why India's War on Air Pollution is Running Out of Cash

Dr Arindam Datta

This article explores the landscape of clean air finance in India, highlighting key national and international funding sources, funding gaps, challenges, and potential pathways forward.

Gloomy Skies, Choked Lungs – An Unseen Battle for Clean Air

Dr Arindam Datta

Air pollution is a complex issue, rooted in everything from urban planning and industrial policy to individual choices and political will.

India’s New AC Set Point Rule: A Small Tweak with Big Implications

Why a shift from 16°C to 20°C could reshape the nation’s energy future and cooling habits.

Burning Point: Increasing Heatwaves Threaten Lives Across India

Ms Suruchi Bhadwal
,
Mr K Venkatramana

In April 2025, Delhi experienced an intense heatwave, recording the hottest day of the year so far and the warmest night in six years. It also marked the highest maximum temperature for April in the last three years. These conditions, now becoming more frequent and severe, are a stark reminder of the urgent need to address heat-related risks.

Bridging the Gap: The Urgent Need for Enhanced Public Transport in India’s Air Quality Mission

Dr Anju Goel

A cornerstone of the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) is that it prioritizes micro-level interventions like improving urban infrastructure, monitoring networks, and sustainable practices. The XIV Finance Commission allocated ₹36,000 crores to support city specific action plans tailored to their challenges. Despite this funding, achieving NCAP’s ambitious targets necessitates tackling a major source to urban air pollution- Road Transport.

दिल्ली में बढ़ता वायु प्रदूषण संकट: बदलते स्रोतों, AQI रुझानों और स्थानीय-क्षेत्रीय योगदान का गहन विश्लेषण

Dr Anju Goel

दिल्ली की बिगड़ती वायु गुणवत्ता ने जीवन स्तर को गंभीर रूप से प्रभावित किया है, जिससे निवासियों को गंभीर स्वास्थ्य समस्याओं और दैनिक कठिनाइयों का सामना करना पड़ रहा है। यह स्थिति अब एक बड़े सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य संकट में बदल चुकी है। पिछले दो दशकों में प्रदूषण के स्रोत बदल गए हैं, और कई उपायों के बावजूद शहर खतरनाक वायु गुणवत्ता से जूझ रहा है। दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण इतना व्यापक हो चुका है कि यह निवासियों के स्वास्थ्य, कल्याण और भविष्य के लिए खतरा बन गया है।

Events

Cleaner Air, Greener Future: TERI-EIACP Workshop Inspires Change in Narela’s Singhu Village

August 12, 2025
to August 12, 2025

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), under its EIACP programme, hosted a vibrant one-day workshop “Breath of Change” on 12 August, 2025, at the Govt. Co-ed Senior Secondary School, Singhu (Narela), bringing together residents, students, Resident Welfare Associations, and environmental experts to champion cleaner air and sustainable waste practices.

TERI showcases Urban Air Pollution Solutions at the “Clean Air Blue Sky Days” in Jaipur

September 7, 2024
to September 7, 2024

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) proudly participated in the ‘Clean Air Blue Sky Day’ celebration organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) on September 7, 2024, at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre, Rajasthan. TERI's stall featured cutting-edge interventions aimed at addressing urban air pollution, demonstrating its commitment to sustainable solutions across India.

Stakeholders Meeting on Local Air Quality Management Plan for Golghar and Shaheed Smarak areas in Patna

August 13, 2024
to August 13, 2024

On August 13, 2024, an orientation meeting for the Local Air Quality Management Plan was convened with stakeholders at the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) in Patna. This initiative, spearheaded by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in collaboration with BSPCB, the Patna Municipal Corporation, and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), is focused on managing air pollution around two historic landmarks in Patna: Golghar and Shaheed Smarak.

Capacity Building Program on Ambient Air Quality Management in Kolkata

February 27, 2024
to February 27, 2024

A three-day program on capacity building for Ambient Air Quality Management was held in Kolkata at the West Bengal Pollution Control Board's Training Hall at Mani Square for staff members of the National Clean Air Program from different cities in West Bengal and other officials.

Book Release: TERI Energy & Environment Data Diary and Yearbook (TEDDY) 2022-23

January 23, 2024
to January 23, 2024

TERI Energy & Environment Data Diary and Yearbook (TEDDY) is an annual publication brought out by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) since 1986. TEDDY presents latest information on energy supply sectors (coal and lignite, petroleum and natural gas, power and renewable energy sources), energy demand sectors (agriculture, industry, transport, residential, and commercial sectors), and environment (local and global). It seeks to support policy research and decision-making by providing policymakers and researchers with the data which can be used to develop actionable solutions.

News

TERI and Innovations India Greenlight Five Short Films to Promote Sustainable Development Through Cinema

December 12, 2025 |
December 15, 2025
APN News

TERI and Innovations India have signed an exclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly produce five short films that promote sustainable development through cinema. The agreement was formalised on 5 December 2025 at TERI, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, by Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, and Captain Rahul Bali, Managing Director, Innovations India, in the presence of Mr. Sanjay Seth, Senior Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Programme at TERI and CEO & VP of GRIHA Council.

CAQM expert panel discusses vehicular emissions, clean mobility measures

December 15, 2025 |
December 15, 2025
The Times of India

Emission inventory studies for Delhi conducted by IIT-Kanpur in 2015, TERI-ARAI in 2018 and SAFAR in 2018 have estimated the transport sector's contribution to PM2.5 pollution at 20%, 39% and 41%, respectively. The expert committee comprises representatives from Niti Aayog, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, Centre for Science and Environment, International Council on Clean Transportation, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and CAQM.

'Need to align policy with health-based Science': Experts on Air Quality Standard

December 12, 2025 |
December 12, 2025
NDTV

Dr Anju Goel, Senior Fellow & Associate Director, Air Quality Research Division, TERI, acknowledged the non-binding nature of WHO rules, but warned against complacency. 

Air-quality regulator sets up expert panel to fast-track EV shift amid hybrid-policy rift

December 11, 2025 |
December 11, 2025
Mint

According to an office order dated 10 December 2025 the committee includes senior representatives from the ministry of road transport and highways, the ministry of heavy industries, testing agencies ICAT and ARAI, and Niti Aayog. Experts from Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and think tanks such as The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the International Council on Clean Transportation are also part of the group.

Delhi govt forms 3 panels to aid in fight against air pollution

December 7, 2025 |
December 7, 2025
Hindustan Times

The 11-member expert group is headed by Ms Leena Nanda, a former secretary in the Union environment ministry, as its chairperson. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) chairperson will meanwhile be the group’s member secretary, experts include Dr Suneel Pandey, director of circular economy and waste management at TERI and others. 

A four-point strategy to end Delhi-NCR’s deadly smog cycle, according to TERI Fellow

December 1, 2025
| Mr Ajay Shankar
| ABP Live

The air pollution crisis this year has been much worse. Clearly, it is time to think afresh and consider some out-of-the-box radical ideas, writes Mr Ajay Shankar, Distinguished Fellow, TERI.

Policy

Spatiotemporal variations of atmospheric black carbon concentrations in Kolkata and Howrah Municipal corporation areas

October 6, 2025

He West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) invited The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, to submit a proposal to analyze the spatiotemporal variations in atmospheric BC in Kolkata and Howrah cities. Accordingly, TERI submitted a technical and financial proposalto WBPCB to prepare an annual spatiotemporal variation of atmospheric BC concentration over Kolkata and Howrah in March 2023. Following the review of the proposal by experts, WBPCB awarded the project to TERI on 10th May 2023 (Memo No. 1139/1K-1/2021).

Shifting Gears Towards Cleaner Air: Modernizing Urban Fleets for a Greener Future in India’s Million-Plus Cities

April 23, 2025

In response to extreme levels of fine particulate air pollution in India and the increasing recognition of its adverse health impacts, the Indian government launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in January 2019 (Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, 2019). The NCAP aims to improve air quality in 131 cities, including non-attainment cities and Million Plus Cities across 24 states through a multi-stakeholder engagement approach. All 131 cities have developed city Action Plans (CAPs) and are being implemented by Urban Local Bodies.

Could the National Capital Region serve as a control region for effective air quality management in Delhi?

November 4, 2020

Air pollution does not follow administrative boundaries, and needs to be tackled at the regional "airshed" level at which it is caused. Identifying the appropriate candidates for airshed management requires scientific analysis using systematically developed emissions inventories and dispersion models to simulate the impact of the estimated emissions on air quality.

Emissions control in thermal power stations: Issues, challenges, and the way forward

February 21, 2020

As per TERI's analysis, of the total environmental pollution in 2016, the power sector reportedly accounted for 51% of sulphur dioxide (SO2), 43% of carbon dioxide (CO2), 20% of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and 7% of PM2.5 emissions.

Crop residue management: Solution to achieve better air quality

January 30, 2020

Residents of different cities (probably villages too) of India breathe some of the least healthy air of the globe. During 2017, about 76.8% of the population of India were exposed to annual population-weighted mean PM2·5 greater than the limit recommended by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQ: 40 mg/m3) (Balakrishnan, Dey, Gupta, et al. 2019). Over last five years, the annual population-weighted mean ambient PM2·5 concentrations were significantly higher over the Indo- Gangetic Plain (IGP) region in comparison to other parts of the country.

Fleet Modernization: A solution to achieve better air quality

December 10, 2019

India's transport demand has grown from a total of 5.3 million in 1981 to 230 million in 2016, with two-wheelers and cars having 73% and 14% share, respectively. Commercial vehicles though constitute only about 5% of the total fleet, contribute to nearly 80% of total PM emissions.

Phase-wise implementation of fleet modernization (transforming pre BS-IV commercial vehicles to BS-VI) would lead to a 40-80% reduction in PM and NOx emissions from the sector by 2025.

Team

Associate Director, Air Quality Research
Area Convenor, Environment and Health Assessment
Area Convenor, Centre for Air Quality Research