Clean Air Project India

Air pollution is a global concern contributing to a wide range of health risks. According to the World Health Organisation data, around 7 million people die worldwide every year from exposure to the polluted air. More than 80% of people living in urban areas are exposed to concentrations higher than the level recommended by the WHO. India is one of the countries that are severely affected by air pollution. More than half of the world's twenty most polluted cities are located in India. Sensing the urgency, the Government of India launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) with the aim to reduce pollution levels in 122 non-attainment cities by 20-30% by 2024.

In view of this, the Global Programme Climate Change and Environment of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has initiated a project 'Clean Air Project in India (CAP India) to support India's efforts for improving air quality.

CAP India was launched in four cities — Lucknow and Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Nashik and Pune in Maharashtra — by SDC, and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) at the World Sustainable Development Summit 2020.

The CAP India programme will focus on improving data measurement, enhancing capacities of city and state authorities to implement clean air policies and action plans, and raising public awareness for clean air action.

These four cities were selected after conducting a scoping study, which considered several factors such as severity and sources of air pollution, population density and associated health impacts, economic standing of the state, readiness or preparedness of state in terms of policies/regulation etc.

The CAP India project aims to support NCAP by demonstrating viable approaches for cities to address air pollution. NCAP was launched in January 2019 with a goal to meet the prescribed annual average ambient air quality standards across the country.

The CAP India project is planned to be carried out by a consortia of national and international organisations including TERI, Automotive Research Association of India, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, IIT-Kanpur, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Paul Scherrer Institute, EPFL Switzerland, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, and University of Bern.

Aim

The goal of this project is to support India's efforts to improve people's health and well-being through better air quality, while contributing to environment and climate change mitigation.

Objective

To support India's efforts to improve air quality, while contributing to public health, environment and climate change mitigation. CAP India is assisting four partner cities — Lucknow, Kanpur, Pune and Nashik — in strengthening their existing clean air action plans based on the state of art source apportionment studies.

The overall goal of the project is to support India's efforts to improve air quality, while contributing to public health, environment and climate change mitigation.

Outcome 1

Improved data measurement and analysis on clean air

Outcome 2

Enhanced capacities of city and state authorities to implement clean air policies and action plan

Outcome 3

Awareness for clean air action

Major Activities

Implementation Consortium Activities

• Estimating city-wide source contributions of pollutants using state of art air quality models for four cities.
• Revising methodologies/protocols for source apportionment based on consultations and review, data collection and design of monitoring networks.
• Capacity building of state pollution control boards, other government departments, academia, and research institutions through training program on source emission monitoring, inventory preparation, conducting source apportionment study and systematic calibration of analyzers.
• Strengthening existing action plans using dispersion model results.
• Developing monitoring, review, and verification (MRV) systems for clean air action plan.

• Demonstrating pilot projects in selected sectors with high mitigation potential in the airshed area of the four cities.
• Strengthening capacities to prepare and implement action plan.
• National and international exposure visits to showcase best practices.
• Raising awareness for clean air action in different sections of local community.
• Capacity building of media and NGOs for awareness generation on air pollution.
• Sensitization through health camps, citizen workshops, and action projects with students.

Research Network Actitivies

• Improved source apportionment methods/protocols based on measurement.
• Measurement and analysis of sources of PM and its specific health relevant components.
• Capacity building of state pollution control boards, other government departments, academia, and research institutions through training program on advanced source apportionment and on-line instrumentation.
• Strengthening existing action plans using advanced source apportionment studies.

TERI and Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation (SDC) conducted a launch event for the schools in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The event on 5th August saw participation from at least 430 students & teachers from 30 schools. Dr Anand Shukla, Sr Thematic Advisor, SDC highlighted the need to be vocal about local environmental challenges such as air pollution. An interactive session 'Let's learn together' was also conducted by our fellows Ms Neha & Dr Anju Goel to discuss the impacts of air pollution.

Prof. Mukesh Sharma, Department of Civil Engineering, IITKanpur discussed the importance of clean air and how students can play an important role by raising awareness to reduce air pollution. Dr Livleen K Kahlon, Associate Director, Environmental Education and Awareness, TERI said that air pollution from vehicles and power plants has been inhibiting the flying ability of pollinators to find flowers providing them nectar. Air Pollution harms all different lifeforms.

The launch of CAP- India in Kanpur was organised on 28 August 2020 through a webinar. The launch event received registration from 227 students and teachers from 9 schools in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. An interactive session with students was held to apprise them about air pollution, highlighting facts about Kanpur. This session was an infusion of quiz session, visuals on air pollution, and information dissemination on air pollution and its impacts and solutions.

Proceedings of Kanpur Launch

Supported by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Implementation Consortium

• The Energy and Research Institute (TERI), New Delhi, India
• Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Pune, India
• International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
• The Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Lausanne, Switzerland
• Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK)
• National Environmental Engineering and Research Institute (NEERI)

Research Partners

• Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Switzerland (Lead)
• Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK)
• Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM)
• National Environmental Engineering and Research Institute (NEERI)
• The University of Bern