AI's Clear Skies

Intelligent insights for a healthier atmosphere.

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Understanding the Air Quality Index

📈 Understanding the Air Quality Index

AQI: 0 to 500 Scale

  • The Air Quality Index (AQI) communicates current or forecast air pollution levels.
  • An AQI score ranges from 0 to 500; higher values indicate greater pollution and health risks.
  • An AQI of 50 or below signifies good air quality, while above 300 is hazardous.
  • Different countries use their own AQI systems based on national standards.
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Defining Air Pollution & Its Forms

🌫️ Defining Air Pollution & Its Forms

Harmful Substances in Air

  • Air pollution is the presence of harmful substances in the air.
  • Pollutants can be gases (like ozone, nitrogen oxides) or small particles (soot, dust).
  • Both outdoor and indoor environments can suffer from air pollution.
  • Many local pollution sources, especially burning fossil fuels, also cause global warming.
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Sources of Outdoor Air Pollution

🏭 Sources of Outdoor Air Pollution

Industrial & Vehicular Emissions

  • Outdoor pollution originates from burning fossil fuels for electricity and transport.
  • Wildfires, certain industrial processes, and waste management contribute significantly.
  • Demolition activities, agriculture, and natural events like dust storms also add pollutants.
  • Particulate matter, a common outdoor pollutant, is among the most deadly.
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Major Contributors to Delhi's Air Pollution (November 2023)

📊 Major Contributors to Delhi's Air Pollution (November 2023)

Percentage Breakdown of Sources

SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research), Delhi Air Quality Bulletins, November 2023

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Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Concerns

🏠 Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Concerns

Building-Related Health Impacts

  • Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to air quality inside buildings and structures.
  • Poor IAQ is linked to sick building syndrome, respiratory issues, and reduced productivity.
  • Common indoor pollutants include secondhand smoke, radon, molds, carbon monoxide, and VOCs.
  • In developing countries, household air pollution from biomass fuel burning is a major hazard.
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Global Health Impact of Air Pollution

😷 Global Health Impact of Air Pollution

Millions of Deaths Annually

  • Air pollution causes 7 to 8 million deaths globally each year.
  • It is a significant risk factor for stroke, heart disease, COPD, asthma, and lung cancer.
  • Particulate matter is particularly deadly for both indoor and outdoor pollution.
  • Children, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues are most vulnerable.
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Global Deaths Attributable to Air Pollution Annually

📊 Global Deaths Attributable to Air Pollution Annually

Air Pollution Compared to Other Major Causes of Death (2019)

Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (IHME) via Our World in Data; WHO Ambient (outdoor) air quality and health fact sheet, 2019/2022

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Economic Cost of Air Pollution

💸 Economic Cost of Air Pollution

Over $8 Trillion Annually

  • Air pollution imposes a substantial economic burden worldwide.
  • The World Bank estimates global welfare and productivity losses exceed $8 trillion per year.
  • These losses stem from premature deaths and lost labor productivity.
  • Air pollution affects nearly every organ and system in the body, impacting human capital.
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Annual Global Economic Cost of Air Pollution

📊 Annual Global Economic Cost of Air Pollution

Welfare and Productivity Losses Exceeding $8 Trillion

Our World in Data, 'Outdoor Air Pollution', based on IHME and World Bank estimates (Accessed 2024)

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International Air Quality Standards

🌍 International Air Quality Standards

WHO PM2.5 Limit: 10 µg/m³

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter for PM2.5.
  • Many countries, especially emerging and developing ones, struggle to meet global environmental standards.
  • Air pollution is responsible for over 10% of all deaths worldwide, especially in these regions.
  • IQAir provides rankings of cities and countries by air quality index.
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Average PM2.5 Levels in Select Countries vs. WHO Guideline

📊 Average PM2.5 Levels in Select Countries vs. WHO Guideline

Annual Mean (µg/m³) for 2023

IQAir World Air Quality Report 2023; WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines 2021

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Strategies for Air Quality Improvement

🌱 Strategies for Air Quality Improvement

Technology & Policy Solutions

  • Key approaches include clean cookers, fire protection, and improved waste management.
  • Dust control, industrial scrubbers, electric vehicles, and renewable energy are vital technologies.
  • National laws like Britain's 1956 Clean Air Act have proven effective.
  • Ventilation and filtration are primary methods for improving indoor air quality.
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Delhi's Critical Air Pollution Situation

🇮🇳 Delhi's Critical Air Pollution Situation

Most Harmful Among Major Cities

  • Delhi's air pollution was ranked the most harmful of any major city in a 2022 survey.
  • Air pollution in India causes an estimated 2 million deaths annually, the fifth largest cause of death.
  • In Delhi, poor air quality has irreversibly damaged the lungs of 2.2 million children.
  • The Supreme Court of India has described Delhi's air quality as 'worse than hell'.
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Seasonal Deterioration in Delhi's Air

🍂 Seasonal Deterioration in Delhi's Air

October to February Decline

  • Delhi's AQI typically ranges from Satisfactory to Moderate between March and September.
  • Air quality drastically deteriorates to Poor, Severe, or Hazardous from October to February.
  • Factors include stubble burning, firecrackers during Diwali, thermal power plants, and vehicle pollution.
  • Cold weather traps pollutants, exacerbating the problem during these months.
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Monthly Average AQI in Delhi

📊 Monthly Average AQI in Delhi

Typical Seasonal Variation (March-September vs. October-February)

IQAir, Historical Air Quality Data for Delhi, 2023-2024 (Typical Seasonal Averages)

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Recent Development: Delhi's Worst AQI (Nov 2024)

🚨 Recent Development: Delhi's Worst AQI (Nov 2024)

AQI 491, 'Severe Plus'

  • On November 18, 2024, Delhi recorded its worst air quality of the season.
  • The 24-hour AQI reading was 491, classified as 'severe plus' by India's pollution control authority.
  • This level indicates hazardous conditions with significant health impacts, especially for vulnerable populations.
  • This marked the highest AQI level for Delhi in 2024.
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Recent Development: Stubble Burning's 2023 Impact

🔥 Recent Development: Stubble Burning's 2023 Impact

38% of 2023 Pollution

  • In November 2023, New Delhi suffered from particularly high levels of air pollution.
  • 38% of this pollution was attributed to stubble burning in neighboring states.
  • This agricultural practice, ongoing since the 1980s, contributes significantly to smog.
  • Efforts like a proposed 1,600 km green ecological corridor aim to combat such pollution sources.
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