Nepal ranks as the third most-polluted country in the world

KATHMANDU, Aug 30: An international report has indicated that Nepal has ranked as the third most-polluted country in the world, due to the presence of very small hazardous particles in the atmosphere.

The data based on satellites have shown that the density of PM 2.5 particles in the air is high in Nepal's atmosphere. As a result, Nepal has been listed as the third most-polluted country in the world.

According to an international report known for Air Quality Life Index-2024 (AQLI), the average life expectancy of Nepalis has decreased by 3.4 years due to hazardous air. This report was made public on Wednesday.

The report prepared based on the data of 2022 indicated  that the life expectancy of the residents of 10 districts of Nepal, which are connected to the most-polluted areas of North India, has been reduced by 5.1 years.

According to the report, the annual average of Nepal's PM 2.5 in 2022 was 39.2 micrograms per cubic meter. Particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, or about 25 times the diameter smaller than human hair, is measured as PM 2.5 per cubic meter of air. PM 2.5, which is considered to be the most dangerous for air pollution, can directly reach the lungs of people and cause disruption in the blood circulation system. This can cause diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory problems.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) standards, all Nepalis are forced to breathe hazardous air. The hazardous particles in the air have become the biggest challenge which has affected life expectancy in Nepal. Air pollution has reduced the average life expectancy of Nepalis by 3.4 years. Following that, the life expectancy of Nepalis has decreased by 1.9 years due to smoking and 1.5 years due to dietary risks and blood pressure, respectively.

According to the report, which is published every year under the leadership of the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), the pollution of hazardous particles in the air of Nepal decreased by 18 percent in 2022 compared to 2021. If this can be controlled, it appears that Nepalis can live 10 months longer compared to 2021. However, annual hazardous particle pollution in Nepal increased by 49 percent in 2022, compared to 1998. This has reduced the life expectancy of Nepalis by 1.3 years.

According to WHO standards, if Nepal improves its air pollution levels, the average life expectancy of 40 percent of the population residing in the mid-hills and eastern Terai, could increase by 4.8 years. The report estimates that the life expectancy of the residents of Kathmandu could increase by 2.6 years, if healthy air quality standards are followed.

Despite the severe risks caused by hazardous particles in the air, Nepal has not yet determined an annual standard of PM 2.5.

Nepal's National Ambient Air Quality Standard 2012 indicates that the daily average for PM 2.5 should be 40 micrograms per cubic meter. Government officials have indicated that a review of the annual standard of PM 2.5 and other related issues is currently underway. However, no decision has been made on this matter yet.

The State of Global Air 2024 reports showed that 48,500 people died in 2021 due to air pollution in Nepal.

Although the government introduced an action plan for air quality management in the Kathmandu Valley in 2076, its implementation is very weak. This action plan has given priority to enhancing  public awareness along with the prevention of the transportation sector, industrial establishments, indoor air pollution, and garbage pollution.

As per Article 30 of the Constitution of Nepal, every citizen has the right to live in a clean and healthy environment. Likewise, the National Environment Policy 2076, Environmental Protection Act 2076 also included the issue of formulation and implementation of air pollution standards, including the provision of not polluting contrary to the prescribed standards.

An air pollution prevention activist said that as the dangerous situation of air pollution is increasing in Nepal, there is a need for a specific law on clean air to prevent it.

They say that there should be a firm commitment from the political level to control air pollution, which has a serious impact on public health. “Our efforts and policies are limited.”

Dr Maheshwar Rupakheti, air pollution expert and Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) Research Group Leader in Germany, said, “A clean air national program and an action plan with a timetable to implement it are currently necessary for controlling air pollution.

“There is a need for a separate clean air act in Nepal as a whole to prevent the increasing air pollution. Discussing that China has reduced air pollution by 70 percent in a few years through the clean air program implemented since 2014,  Rupakheti said that pollution can be reduced if such campaigns can be carried out on a large scale.

AQLI-2024 mentioned that China has increased the average life expectancy of its citizens by 2 years due to policy changes on air pollution. Rupakheti said that India, which is in the leading list of air pollution, is also going to reduce air pollution with a national action plan. He said, “Political will is most necessary in Nepal to resolve this issue, which is so closely connected with public health.

AQLI has identified air pollution as the greatest risk to human health. The report shows that although the level of air pollution in the South Asian region has decreased to some extent, many countries in the world have failed to implement their air pollution standards. The report estimates that implementing WHO standards could increase life expectancy by up to 1.9 years.