New Report Reveals How Air Pollution Is Cutting Years Off Indian Lives
Air pollution cuts 3.5 years from average Indian life, report finds.
A 2025 report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) reveals that air pollution is drastically reducing the life expectancy of India’s 1.4 billion people, with all residents living in areas exceeding the World Health Organization’s (WHO) air quality guidelines. The report, released on August 28, 2025, indicates that particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in India rose in 2023 compared to 2022, surpassing WHO standards by over eight times. If air quality were improved to meet the WHO’s guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic meter for PM2.5, the average Indian could gain 3.5 years of life expectancy.
The WHO’s 2021 air quality standards set strict limits of 5 micrograms per cubic meter for PM2.5 and 15 micrograms for PM10, far below India’s national standards of 40 and 60 micrograms, respectively. The report notes that 46% of India’s population resides in areas where PM2.5 levels exceed the national standard, and meeting this standard could add 1.5 years to life expectancy in those regions. In the heavily polluted Northern Plains, home to 544.4 million people (38.9% of India’s population), achieving WHO guidelines could extend life expectancy by five years.
Delhi, India’s capital and most populous city, stands to gain the most, with residents potentially adding 8.2 years to their life expectancy if WHO standards are met. Other states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra could see increases of 3.3, 3.1, and 2.8 years, respectively, by reducing particulate pollution. Even in India’s cleanest regions, adhering to WHO guidelines could add 9.4 months to life expectancy.
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India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in 2019, aimed to reduce 2017 particulate pollution levels by 20–30% by 2024, with a revised target of a 40% reduction by 2026 in 131 non-attainment cities. As of 2023, pollution in these areas has decreased by 10.7% compared to 2017, adding six months to the life expectancy of 445.5 million people. Achieving the 2026 target could further increase life expectancy by two years in these cities, underscoring the urgent need for sustained efforts to combat air pollution and protect public health.
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