Vie For Clean Air

Air pollution has become an inescapable problem globally, killing more than 8 million people annually, according to UNICEF. Around 90 per cent of these deaths happen in developing nations undergoing rapid urbanisation and haphazard development with disregard for the environment. Air pollution in Nepal has been a silent emergency, persistently posing a serious public health challenge. Bearing the brunt of this crisis are two geographic hotspots: the Kathmandu Valley and the southern plains, according to a 2025 World Bank report. The country consistently ranks among those with the worst air quality in the world. Vehicle emissions, industrial activities, construction work, open waste burning, forest fires, and transboundary pollution are the major contributors to this crisis. Regional factors also play a role. Pollution from the Indo-Gangetic Plain – spanning parts of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh – often drifts into Nepal, worsening local air quality.

According to the report, poor air quality is estimated to cost six per cent of the nation's GDP each year. These levels of air pollution shorten the average life expectancy by more than three years and lead to almost 26,000 premature deaths each year. Beyond health impacts, poor air quality leads to reduced labour productivity. Tourism receipts are also hit hard, as lower visibility of the Himalayas leads to flight cancellations, and prospective tourists avoid visiting the country altogether. The cost of this loss can be too high for an economy heavily reliant on tourism for foreign currency.  As per the news report carried by this daily the other day, nearly 19 per cent of all deaths in the nation are attributed to air pollution, making it a leading risk factor for mortality and disability. Kathmandu Valley and other urban areas frequently record unhealthy to hazardous Air Quality Index (AQI) levels. Health experts have warned that prolonged exposure to polluted air can lead to respiratory diseases, impaired lung development, asthma and other long-term complications. Children, the elderly and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable. Air pollution is also tied to reduced life expectancy by up to seven to eight years, as well as increased rates of infant mortality, cognitive impairment and chronic diseases. The worst affected are marginalised communities, including the urban poor who have limited access to healthcare. 

Although the adoption of EVs in recent years has emerged as a bright spot in our effort to tame air pollution, more needs to be done to accelerate the pace. At the same time, worryingly, we are yet to see the much-needed rapid decline of fossil fuel-powered vehicles on the road. Compounding the problem are the poor construction practices that generate too much dust and takes necessarily long time. The new, shiny highway means little when children growing up nearby develop stunted lung and heart capabilities even before they reach adulthood. Unless work is done on a war footing for the radical electrification of transport and industrial sectors alongside transboundary diplomacy, air pollution will continue to be a serious health hazard.  As articulated by experts, the government needs to go much beyond issuing advisories when pollution spikes to unhealthy levels. What's more, in an urban setting, vehicle emissions constitute the bulk of the pollution. Given this dire scenario, switching to electric mobility is not a choice; it's an imperative.  The exacerbating crisis warrants a long-term solution that focuses on addressing the root causes through stronger policies, enforcement, and public awareness.