PM2.5 claimed over 1.7m lives in India in 2022: Lancet report

More than 1.7 million people in India died in 2022 due to prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), according to The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change 2024 report released on Wednesday. The report links the deaths primarily to emissions from fossil fuel combustion, highlighting air pollution as one of the country’s most severe health and economic burdens.

PM2.5, particulate matter, smaller than 2.5 micrometres, can enter deep into the lungs and bloodstream, increasing the risk of heart and lung diseases, strokes and cancer. The report estimates that India accounted for nearly one-third of all global deaths caused by exposure to the pollutant in 2022.

Of the total deaths, around 7,52,000 were attributed to fossil fuel-related pollution. Coal combustion was responsible for nearly 3,94,000 deaths, including about 2,98,000 from coal-based power generation. Emissions from petrol used in road transport accounted for another 2,69,000 deaths.

The report also found that air pollution imposed a substantial economic cost on the country. Premature deaths due to PM2.5 exposure in 2022 led to losses amounting to about 9.5 per cent of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), or roughly USD 339 billion. These losses were linked to reduced productivity, increased healthcare expenditure and missed workdays due to pollution-related illness.

The Lancet Countdown, a collaboration between global research institutions and the World Health Organisation (WHO), tracks the connections between climate change, air pollution and public health. The 2024 assessment found that extreme heat and poor air quality are increasingly straining India’s health system, particularly among children, the elderly and those with pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.

India has launched several initiatives to curb air pollution, including the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), aimed at reducing PM2.5 and PM10 levels by up to 40 per cent by 2026 in 131 cities. However, independent assessments suggest that progress has been uneven, with many northern and central Indian cities continuing to record some of the world’s highest PM2.5 concentrations.

The report urges stronger coordination between health, energy and environment ministries to address the overlapping impacts of air pollution and climate change. It also recommends phasing out coal power, transitioning to cleaner household fuels and investing in public transport infrastructure.

Globally, exposure to outdoor air pollution caused an estimated 4.2 million deaths in 2022, a majority in low-and middle-income countries. India, the report said, remains among the nations with the highest health and economic costs linked to PM2.5 pollution.