Researchers working at the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI) have found that China and India accounted for more than half of the total number of global deaths attributable to air pollution in 2015. It has been stated in the research study that air pollution caused more than 4.2 million early deaths worldwide in 2015, making it the fifth highest cause of death, with about 2.2 million deaths in China and India. The institute’s study, the first of its kind, was based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project, a database backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that tracks the role that behavioural, dietary and environmental factors play in deaths across 195 countries. It is a matter of concern that increasing level of air pollution is causing more deaths in the world. Air pollution has been linked to higher rates of cancer, stroke and heart disease, as well as chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma. Both India and China are the most populous countries in the world and coping with the challenge of air pollution. Though both countries have taken a number of measures to decrease the level of pollution, yet the danger has been still there and posing a threat to human health. Coal-powered industries, massive use of fossil fuels, vehicle emissions and dust from construction sites are the main factors that contribute to the increased level of pollution. Among these, a sharp rise in the use of private cars stands out.
Pakistan is facing a similar situation as the federal government, particularly the Punjab government, is investing heavily in coal-based power plant projects due to the availability of massive coal reserves in Thar desert in Sindh and some areas of Punjab. According to WHO, three major cities of the country are already counted among the most polluted cities in the world. Karachi ranks number five, just ahead of Peshawar and Rawalpindi, which stand at six and seven in the list of 20 most polluted cities. Delhi tops the list of the most polluted cities. It is a sharp warning to the Pakistan government that development at the cost of the environment can bring devastating consequences for human life. Keeping in view the example of polluted cities in China and India, the government needs to rely more on non-polluting renewable energy to meet its deficit. It is also a wake-up call for other countries to pay attention to the environment issue. At a time when world leaders are deliberating on the hazards of climate change, there is a need to initiate joint efforts to address environmental woes. The government needs to realise that it has to incrementally cut its dependence on fossil fuels and utilise new green technology to mitigate the bad effects of using coal for producing energy. *