POLLUTION

Pollution Management and Environmental Health Program

Air, land, and water pollution caused 9 million premature deaths in 2016, or 16% of all deaths worldwide. About 92% of all pollution-related mortality is seen in low-income and middle-income countries, with the poor, marginalized, and young hardest hit by the health effects of the contamination. The economic burden is immense: in 2016, ambient air pollution alone cost the global economy US$5.7 trillion—4.8 percent of global GDP.

The World Bank is committed to supporting countries most severely impacted by pollution by providing technical assistance on pollution management, facilitating knowledge generation and sharing, and raising awareness about the detrimental impact on global health.

Over the past 12 years, FY04–17, the World Bank Group approved 534 pollution- relevant activities, accounting for approximately US$43 billion in commitments. These projects have contributed significantly resulting in air pollution reduction in Peru, Pakistan, and Vietnam and easing contamination on land and in rivers in a number of developing countries.

Over the last several years, stakeholders across low and middle-income countries have expressed an urgent need for increased support on pollution management in order to respond to the magnitude of the threat to human health and economies. Responding to pollution is a challenge that is solvable in the near term to save lives and unlock economic opportunity through action at the local, national, regional and global levels.

The World Bank established a Multi-donor Trust Fund for Pollution Management and Environmental Health to promote more systematic and effective responses to deadly and costly air pollution.

          

 Recognizing the growing global threat of air pollution, in 2014 the UN Environment Assembly asked UN Environment to publish an overview of the actions taken by governments to promote better air quality.

The report found that many governments have yet to act on air quality, but it also highlights examples of positive action from around the world:

· More than 3 billion people still use solid fuels and inefficient cook-stoves , but the Seychelles was able to improve household air quality by transitioning the whole country from solid fuels and inefficient cook-stoves to liquefied petroleum gas.

· Only a quarter of countries have advanced fuels and vehicles standards, which can significantly reduce small particulate matter pollution, especially in cities. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda, decided that from 1 January 2015 only low-sulphur fuels would be allowed in their countries. If met by similar vehicles standards this would reduce vehicle emissions by over 90 per cent.

· Some countries and cities have been able to increase waste recycling, reducing the need to burn waste. In Brazil, for example, millions of hectares of land are under conservation agriculture, which leaves crop residue from previous harvests on the land rather than burning it.

· The majority of countries around the world have now put in place national air quality standards. India, with major air quality challenges in many cities, has established air quality laws and regulation and also an implementation strategy for these laws.

 

25 Measures taken by the United Nations to ensure Clean Air

From better emissions standards and controls on vehicles, to reducing the burning of agricultural and municipal solid waste and promoting the use of electric vehicles, the United Nations lists out 25 simple and effective measures to reduce air pollution.

Here’s a look at 25 measures listed by the UN that can help improve quality of air:

1. Post-combustion controls: Introduce state-of-the-art ‘end-of-pipe measures’ (a method that is used to remove already formed contaminants from a stream of air, water, waste, product or similar) to reduce sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate emissions at power stations and in large-scale industry

2. Industrial process emissions standards: Introduce advanced emissions standards in industries, e.g., iron and steel plants, cement factories, glass production, chemical industry, etc.

3. Emissions standards for road vehicles: Strengthen all emissions standards, with special focus on regulation of light- and heavy-duty diesel vehicles

4. Vehicle inspection and maintenance: Enforce mandatory checks and repairs for vehicles

5. Dust control: Suppress construction and road dust; increase green areas

6. Agricultural crop residues: Manage agricultural residues, including strict enforcement of bans on open burning

7. Residential waste burning: Strictly enforce bans on open burning of household waste

8. Prevention of forest and peatland fires: Prevent forest and peatland fires through improved forest, land and water management and fire prevention strategies

9. Livestock manure management: Introduce covered storage and efficient application of manures; encourage anaerobic digestion

10. Nitrogen fertiliser application: Inefficiency in the use of nitrogen-based fertiliser use results in a significant release of nitrogen compounds in the air. This can result in lung infection and other respiratory problems. UN suggests substituting nitrogen fertilisers with ammonium nitrate or switching to slow-release fertilisers

11. Brick kilns: Improve efficiency and introduce emissions standards

12. International shipping: Require low-sulphur fuels and control of particulate emissions

13. Solvent use and refineries: Long term exposure to solvents can lead to deleterious effects on respiratory, haematological and thyroid functioning. UN suggests introducing low-solvent paints for industrial and household uses

14. Clean cooking and heating: Use clean fuels – electricity, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in cities, and LPG and advanced biomass cooking and heating stoves in rural areas; substitution of coal by briquettes

15. Renewables for power generation: Use incentives to foster extended use of wind, solar and hydro power for electricity generation and phase out the least efficient plants

16. Energy efficiency for households: Use incentives to improve the energy efficiency of household appliances, buildings, lighting, heating and cooling; encourage rooftop solar installations

17. Energy efficiency standards for industry: Introduce ambitious energy efficiency standards for industry

18. Electric vehicles: Promote the use of electric vehicles

19. Improved public transport: Encourage a shift from private passenger vehicles to public transport

20. Solid waste management: Encourage centralised waste collection with source separation and treatment, including gas utilisation

21. Rice paddies: Encourage intermittent aeration of continuously flooded paddies

22. Wastewater treatment: Introduce well-managed two-stage treatment with biogas recovery

23. Coal mining: Encourage pre-mining recovery of coal mine gas

24. Oil and gas production: Encourage recovery of associated petroleum gas; stop routine flaring; improve leakage control

25. Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant replacement: Ensure full compliance with the Kigali Amendment that aims to reduce concentrations of Hydrofluorocarbons (organic compounds used in air conditioning and as refrigerants) in the atmosphere by phasing down their production and consumption.

 

 

Steps Taken By Authorities To Curb Rising Air Pollution Levels In Delhi

Following are 8 measures taken by the authorities to tackle the air pollution in the city:

1. Odd-Even Policy On Vehicles Make A Comeback

2. Delhi Authorities Enhance Parking Fees By Four Times

3. Health And Family Welfare Ministry Directs All Hospitals To Be Prepared For The Patient Load

 

4.  Ban On Entry Of Trucks

 

5. Ban On Civil Construction and Strict compliance of Graded Response Action Plan

6. Schools To Be Closed Till November 12

7. Metro Announces More Trips, Public Transport Buses Increases Its Numbers

8. National Green Tribunal Restricts Industrial Activities And Bans Waste Burning In Delhi