Reduced air pollution during COVID-19: Learnings for sustainability from Indian Cities

Air pollution has been a widespread and visible concern, that has increased significantly over the last decade across many parts of India with severe consequences for human health and well-being. The Indian government, as in many other countries, responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by enforcing a variety of restrictions on normal activity, including complete lockdowns that led to severe disruptions in economic activities. A beneficial short-term effect on the natural environment across cities was a significant reduction in air pollution. The pandemic and its management, have brought home the interconnectedness between nature and human existence with renewed understanding of the complex linkages between the economy and the environment. This presents a unique opportunity to integrate air pollution management into plans for economic recovery. This paper empirically examines the impact of imposing a 27-day lockdown on air pollution in India by comparing pollutant concentration data from 8 representative cities over matching periods of time during the lockdown with those of the previous year, and the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). This provides an opportunity to understand the maximum extent to which air pollution could potentially be reduced in these cities. Thereafter, these findings are analysed in conjunction with city level socio-economic correlates and current air pollution management strategies, to gain policy insights on the scope for integrating improved air quality with economic recovery for a sustainable future. With city action plans having been recently prepared for improving air quality, this is indeed an appropriate time to conduct analyses to impact and bend the curve of air pollution substantially. Additionally, as winter approaches, there is a possibility of a double burden of mortality and morbidity from worsening of both COVID-19 and air quality. The current focus on public health provides an opportunity to concentrate on the management of air pollution as a critical component of public health management.