Bad air reducing life expectancy in Delhi by 7.8 years, claims report

Bad air is reducing the life expectancy of people in Delhi by a whopping 7.8 years, according to a new report.

The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (Epic) said that meeting WHO guidelines of 5 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) could increase the life expectancy of Delhi's 18.7 million residents by 7.8 years. Even if the air quality matches the national standards of 40 µg/m3, life expectancy could rise by 4.3 years, it added.

As per the report, 'if all of India were to reduce particulate pollution to meet the WHO guideline, residents in Delhi would see the maximum benefits'.


"In North 24 Parganas, the country's second most populous district, residents would gain 3.6 years of life expectancy," stated the report.

As per the report, Delhi was the most polluted city/state in India, with an average PM2.5 level of 84.3 µg/m3 in 2022. Uttar Pradesh followed with a PM2.5 level of 65.5 µg/m3. However, Delhi has made significant improvements compared to previous years.

Delhi's PM2.5 levels declined to 84.3 µg/m3 in 2022, down from 126.5 µg/m3 in 2021, 111.6 µg/m3 in 2020, and 124.4 µg/m3 in 2019. The report previously claimed that Delhi's residents were on track to lose 11.9 years of life expectancy on average relative to WHO guidelines and 8.5 years relative to national guidelines if 2021 pollution levels persisted.

After a decade of experiencing particulate pollution levels averaging about 49 µg/m3—more than nine times the WHO norms—particulate concentrations in India dropped to 41.4 µg/m3 in 2022, stated the latest report.

"If these reductions are sustained, an average Indian is likely to live nine months longer compared to what they would have if they were exposed to levels similar to the last decade. Further, if pollution met WHO guidelines, Indian citizens could gain 3.6 years," the report said.

The report also highlighted other health risks in India. While particulate pollution takes 3.6 years off the life of an Indian resident, malnutrition shortens life by 1.6 years, tobacco by 1.5 years, and unsafe water and sanitation by 8.4 months.


Tanushree Ganguly, director, AQLI, said, "Delhi's PM2.5 levels in 2022 were 17% lower compared to 2021. Since this is a single-year trend, it is difficult to distinguish between temporary factors like weather and permanent ones like policy implementation as the cause of this decline. However, if Delhi sustains this reduction, the average resident could live 1.6 years longer. One path to continuous improvement is by implementing forceful policies and making deliberate efforts to enforce standards. Many countries like the US, China, and Japan have successfully reduced pollution through robust policies and effective implementation."