Restructure economy to bring down pollution

Context: The state needs to plan a long-term strategy to act and ensure the restructuring of economy and enhance the environmental resource base.

Causes of low standard Air Quality in National Capital Region (NCR)

• Worsening air pollution is caused by sources: Construction, power, vehicular traffic stubble-burning, etc.
• Environmental policies are overtaken by economic policies and lack of coordination among governmental agencies has created a big vacuum.
• Surrounded by industrial hubs: They are poorly monitored on sources of power and emission standards. 
• Burgeoning vehicular population is another major cause of air pollution. 
• Rampant real estate boom and civil construction are also contributing to the poor air quality in NCR. 
• Unscientific urban planning has resulted in haphazard growth and co-existence of residential and industrial areas making air pollution monitoring difficult. 
• Government agencies and society are largely responsible for the emission footprint.

Implications of Bad Air Quality

• Blighted the quality of life: As per he WHO, NCR is one of the most polluted regions in the world. 
• Dust particles are the complex mixture of organic and inorganic substances that slowly imperil the respiratory system if exposed for more than 8-hours/day.
• Regular exposure to O3, NO2 and SO2 poses serious health risks: WHO estimates show that 1.2 million premature deaths are linked to ambient air pollution in NCR. Economic and environmental burden of diseases is very high.
• Government has given overriding importance to economic growth over environment and society has preferred present over the future. 
• Economic structure and people’s aspirations are built on shifting sands despite high transition costs.

Way Forward: 

• Need to frame long-term policy initiatives by government to control and regulate pollution from different sources of economic activities.
• Long-term policy measures are needed to restructure the economy and energy sources in NCR on the principles and practices of sustainable development.
• Economic restructuring requires a gradual and permanent change in the production and consumption system towards a green economy.
• Transition blueprint for vehicular emissions reduction with the promotion of electric vehicles needs to be prepared for 2025-30.
• Promotion of public transport and imposing of congestion tax would curb traffic and air pollution.
• Construction-and-demolition method of civil works needs a revamp with technological innovation to reduce the dust. 
• Scientific methods need to be developed for safe disposal and management of solid waste in NCR.
• Restructuring economy should integrate under the framework of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA).

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