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KATHMANDU, June 17: Air pollution is cutting the average life expectancy of Nepalis by three years and four months, according to a recent World Bank report titled “Towards Clean Air in Nepal: Benefits, Pollution Sources, and Solutions.” The report was made public on Tuesday.
The study states that no significant progress has been made in improving air quality in the past decade, with Kathmandu and the Terai region identified as the country’s most polluted areas.
The concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) – airborne particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers – in both Kathmandu and the Tarai far exceeds the safe levels set by the World Health Organization (WHO). PM2.5 levels are recorded at 37 micrograms per cubic meter in Kathmandu and 39 in the Tarai, while the WHO recommends levels below 5 for clean, healthy air.
Pollution reduces life expectancy of Nepalis by five years
PM2.5 levels between 35 to 55 are considered harmful to sensitive groups, while levels above 55 are hazardous even to healthy individuals. At times, Kathmandu’s PM2.5 level crosses 40, making it especially dangerous.
Beyond reducing life expectancy, air pollution is responsible for around 26,000 deaths annually in Nepal, the report warns. It has now surpassed malnutrition and smoking as a leading cause of premature death in the country.
“From the womb itself, children are now exposed to unhealthy air,” said Dr Rakshya Pandey during the report launch. “Clean air is a fundamental human right, and the government’s inaction in this area is sheer negligence.”
The economic cost of air pollution is also significant—it amounts to about 6 percent of Nepal’s GDP, according to the report.
Major sources of air pollution in Nepal include indoor cooking using firewood, vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, forest fires, and cross-border pollution from neighboring countries.
Speakers at the launch event emphasized the need for strong policy measures to address the crisis. Suggested solutions include replacing outdated industrial boilers with cleaner biomass alternatives, promoting electric cooking at the household level, and developing a national strategy for clean transportation.
