In the eastern state of West Bengal in India, a unique initiative is underway to clean the air. The state administration is providing 12 million students with bicycles to encourage cleaner modes of transport. Neighboring country Bangladesh has a , which uses remote sensing technology to track emissions and guide targeted action against highly polluting and illegal kilns.
From these innovative solutions to the rollout of electric buses and e-rickshaws, the use of mechanical composters to reduce crop burning, promoting clean cooking and more, the countries of the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Himalayan Foothills (IGP-HF) are acting against the scourge of air pollution. The IGP-HF region, which is considered a global hotspot of air pollution, spans Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, and Pakistan.
These countries are also focusing on advancing monitoring and measurement, analytics and data that can inform policy, and targeted action to curb key contributing sources¡ªsome of which are unique to the region.
While national targets and action plans are being rolled out, there is also a stronger consensus that the countries or states cannot succeed working in isolation. Cooperation and coordination across borders, and among multiple agencies and jurisdictions are essential.
Transboundary, multisectoral, coordinated solutions
Across many of the major cities in South Asia, over 50 percent of air pollution is not local but transboundary in nature, traveling from a neighboring city, state, or even country. In the five countries of the IGP-HF region, the main sources of pollution include household cooking, transport, crop residue burning, inefficient fertilizer use, industries and power plants. Oftentimes the responsibilities for these sectors are distributed across an array of government ministries and departments.
Synchronized and multi-sectoral solutions, along with knowledge sharing and technical cooperation across jurisdictions and borders, can yield better results, faster, and at lower costs. In Striving for Clean Air: Air Pollution and Public Health in South Asia, the World Bank estimates that coordinated measures across sectors and borders within South Asia are 45 percent less costly than ad hoc measures that do not involve coordination or cooperation.
At the recent Regional Science Policy Dialogue (SPD) held in Thimphu, Bhutan in June 2024¡ªwhich brought together more than 50 government representatives from the IGP-HF countries, scientists, and development and financing partners¡ªthere was a strong consensus on the value of coordinated and collaborative efforts.
From the of the first SPD in 2022, which highlighted the role of science and analytics in defining policy measures and emphasized transboundary approaches, the needle is moving toward greater technical cooperation, knowledge sharing, and building capacity for the use of harmonized methodologies for air quality management. emphasized the need for accelerated actions to comply with National Ambient Air Quality Standards, and for considering an aspirational goal of < 35 ¦Ìg/m3 for annual PM2.5 concentrations by 2035 (¡°35 by 35¡±).
Role of financing partners is critical
Between 2015 and 2022, of the total international development funding was committed to tackling ambient air pollution?¡ªa chronic underfunding that threatens to limit impact at scale. Countries need sufficient and predictable financing to implement both short and long-term measures.
South Asian countries are exploring various measures to leverage funding and investment opportunities. These include innovative financing, alliances of funding agencies and development partners, public-private partnerships, and fiscal policies and incentives that can enhance the use of greener technologies.
