The World Bank has been engaged on air quality management issues in India for almost ten years. For the first time in 1995, an assessment by the World Bank assigned monetary values to the health impacts of urban air pollution – an effort that contributed to the movement for clean air in Indian cities. Since then the political economy of decision making with regards to urban air quality management (UAQM) in India has evolved, with an active role being played by civil society and judiciary in influencing policy decisions. In recent years a number of cities have started to clean-up their act! However, cities continue to grow in size and population, with a consequent increase in sources of air pollution – particularly the number of motor vehicles and the vehicle-kilometers traveled.
While in 1995 the World Bank helped provide impetus to the movement for clean air in urban India, it has made limited efforts to scale-up its engagement on urban air quality management since then. With a large and growing portfolio of projects in India – across sectors which are likely to present many challenges and opportunities for addressing urban air quality concerns - it is important for the World Bank to take stock, and understand the key issues and challenges. The questionnaire is part of a study to assess the status of Urban Air Quality in India. The study is being conducted by undertaking an assessment of air quality in six major cities, namely - Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Kolkata.
Results of the survey are now available as a Briefing Note in the World Bank website:
http://www.worldbank.org/sarurbanair
urban air quality assessment, survey, india |
