“Air pollution claimed 1.6M lives in India in 2021: Lancet.” | (लैंसेट रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि 2021 में वायु प्रदूषण ने 16 लाख भारतीयों की जान ले ली। भारत दूसरा सबसे बड़ा PM2.5 उत्सर्जक है )

Main Points In Hindi (मुख्य बातें – हिंदी में)

1. वायु प्रदूषण से होने वाली मौतें: 2021 में भारत में कुल 16 लाख मौतें वायु प्रदूषण के कारण हुईं, जिनमें से जीवाश्म ईंधन का उपयोग 38 प्रतिशत रहा।

2. गर्मी के तनाव और स्वास्थ्य पर प्रभाव: 2014-2023 के बीच, 65 वर्ष से अधिक के प्रत्येक व्यक्ति को प्रति वर्ष औसतन 7.7-8.4 दिन हीटवेव का सामना करना पड़ा, जो 1990-1999 की तुलना में क्रमशः 47 प्रतिशत और 58 प्रतिशत की वृद्धि है।

3. श्रमिक घंटे और आर्थिक हानि: 2023 में गर्मी के कारण 181 अरब संभावित श्रम घंटे नष्ट हुए, जिससे 141 अरब डॉलर की संभावित आय हानि हुई।

4. संक्रामक रोगों का बढ़ता खतरा: जलवायु परिवर्तन के कारण संक्रामक रोगों के संचरण की संभावना बढ़ गई है, जैसे डेंगू और हैजा, जिसका संचरण क्षमता पिछले दशकों की तुलना में काफी बढ़ गई है।

5. वायु प्रदूषण का स्रोत: भारत का 71 प्रतिशत बिजली उत्पादन कोयले से होता है, जिससे वायु प्रदूषण में वृद्धि होती है; हालांकि, नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा के उपयोग में वृद्धि हुई है, लेकिन इसे और भी तेजी से बढ़ाने की आवश्यकता है।

Main Points In English(मुख्य बातें – अंग्रेज़ी में)

Here are the main points from the report summarized in English:

1. Deaths Due to Air Pollution: In 2021, air pollution was responsible for approximately 1.6 million deaths in India, with fossil fuel usage, including coal and liquefied gas, accounting for 38% of these fatalities.

2. Increasing Heatwave Exposure: From 2014 to 2023, individuals over 65 years old in India faced an average of 7.7 days of heatwaves annually, marking a 47% increase compared to the 1990-1999 period, demonstrating a rising trend in heat stress among the elderly population.

3. Productivity Loss from Heat Stress: In 2023, heat-related stress led to the loss of 181 billion potential labor hours, reflecting a 50% increase from the annual average between 1990-1999, resulting in an estimated potential income loss of $141 billion.

4. Impact on Infectious Diseases: The report highlights that climate change has altered conditions for the transmission of infectious diseases, with transmission potential for diseases like dengue and cholera increasing significantly due to rising temperatures and changing climatic conditions.

5. Need for Transition to Clean Energy: Despite a rise in renewable energy usage (accounting for 11% of electricity supply in 2022), India still relies heavily on coal (71% of electricity), necessitating a swift transition to cleaner energy sources to address air pollution and its health impacts.

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Complete News In Hindi(पूरी खबर – हिंदी में)

Complete News In English(पूरी खबर – अंग्रेज़ी में)

New Delhi: A report released in 2024 states that in 2021, air pollution caused a total of 1.6 million deaths in India, with fossil fuels like coal and liquefied gas accounting for 38% of those deaths. This information comes from the "Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change," published on Tuesday.

Additionally, the report highlights that individuals aged 65 and older in India experienced an average of only 7.7 days of heat waves per year between 2014 and 2023, which is a significant increase of 47% compared to the years 1990-1999. The report outlines important findings, indicating that in 2023, people in India were exposed to moderate to high risks from heat stress, meaning that on average, they faced 2,400 hours (or about 100 days) each year of outdoor activities, such as walking, when the body’s ability to regulate temperature fails.

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The report also reveals that heat in 2023 led to the loss of 181 billion potential labor hours, a 50% increase compared to the annual average from 1990-1999. This loss in labor capacity resulted in an estimated income loss of $141 billion last year.

According to the 8th annual indicator report of the "Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change," individuals in every nation are facing unprecedented threats to health and survival due to rapidly changing climates. Remarkably, 10 out of 15 indicators monitored in the report are related to health risks stemming from climate change.

Globally, in 2023, people encountered about 50 more days of extreme temperature than expected without climate change. Severe drought affected 48% of land areas worldwide, marking the second-highest level ever recorded, which led to an increase in moderate to severe food insecurity for an additional 151 million people compared to the average from 1981 to 2010.

The report, funded by Wellcome and developed in close collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), represents the efforts of 122 leading experts from 57 academic institutions and UN agencies around the world.

Heat and Health
The latest report emphasizes concerning trends regarding heat and health, particularly among populations increasingly exposed to higher temperatures, which jeopardizes livelihoods and impacts health and well-being. The suitability for the spread of several infectious diseases, including those transmitted via vectors, food, and water, is affected by changes in temperature and rainfall associated with climate change.

For instance, the transmission potential for dengue, spread by the Aedes albopictus mosquito, has increased by 85% from 1951-1960 to 2014-2023, with an average transmission potential (R0) above one, reaching 1.6. Similarly, the R0 for Aedes aegypti, another mosquito responsible for dengue, remains high at 2.3.

Between 2014 and 2023, the length of coastlines with conditions suitable for the transmission of Vibrio pathogens, responsible for cholera and similar diseases, was 23% longer than in 1990-1999. Furthermore, in the last decade, nearly 210 million people living within 100 kilometers of coastal waters experienced suitable conditions for Vibrio transmission.

The new report indicates that a series of consecutive droughts, deadly heatwaves, destructive wildfires, storms, and floods, coupled with devastating impacts on health, life, and livelihoods, have contributed to making 2023 one of the hottest years on record.

Heat-related deaths are rising rapidly, and in hotter future scenarios, it’s likely to surpass deaths caused by cold. In 2023, heat-related deaths among individuals aged 65 and older soared by 167% compared to figures from the 1990s, significantly above the expected 65% increase if temperatures hadn’t changed.

The report states, "This exacerbates existing inequalities, as the rising number of heat days posing health threats due to climate change is more pronounced in countries with lower human development indices—measuring education, income, and life expectancy."

Impact of Air Pollution on Health
The continuous use of fossil fuels and biomass leads to high levels of air pollution, increasing the risk of respiratory and heart diseases, lung cancer, diabetes, neurological disorders, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and a higher overall burden of illness and mortality.

Statistics show that since 2000, India has increased its reliance on renewable energy, which accounted for a record 11% of the country’s electricity supply in 2022. While this growth is a step in the right direction, 71% of India’s electricity still comes from coal, emphasizing the urgent need to transition from harmful fuels to clean energy.

In 2022, India contributed 15.8% of the world’s consumption-based PM2.5 emissions—pollutants that are less than 2.5 micrometers in size and can penetrate the lungs. High levels of PM2.5 emissions are a critical indicator of poor air quality. The report also highlights that India contributed 16.9% of the world’s production-based PM2.5 emissions. Overall, India was the second-largest emitter of PM2.5 in the world when taking both consumption and production into account.

(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)

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