Air Quality Life Index

According to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) 2025 report, air pollution has emerged as India’s most severe health threat, reducing the country’s average life expectancy by 3.5 years. The findings highlight the dire impact of air pollution on the health and well-being of millions of people across India.

About the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI)

The AQLI is a tool developed by Michael Greenstone and the Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) at the University of Chicago. It quantifies the impact of particulate air pollution (PM2.5) on life expectancy by combining long-term exposure data with global particulate pollution measurements. The AQLI helps to highlight the true cost of air pollution on communities worldwide and provides insights into the severe health consequences caused by air pollution.

Key Findings of the AQLI 2025 Report

• Impact on India’s Life Expectancy:

  • Air pollution in India has reduced the average life expectancy by 3.5 years.

  • Toxic air pollution is responsible for more years of lost life in India than childhood and maternal malnutrition, and unsafe water, sanitation, and handwashing combined.

• Pollution Levels Across India:

  • All 1.4 billion Indians live in areas where pollution levels exceed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) safe limit of 5 µg/m³ for PM2.5.

  • The northern belt of India remains the world’s most polluted zone, with 544.4 million people (38.9% of India’s population) living under severe air pollution.

• Most Affected Regions:

  • Delhi-NCR is the worst-hit region, where residents face a loss of 8.2 years of life expectancy (based on WHO’s standards for air quality). Even with India’s own weaker PM2.5 standard of 40 µg/m³, residents of Delhi-NCR still lose 4.74 years of life expectancy.

  • Other severely affected states include:

    • Bihar: 5.6 years lost

    • Haryana: 5.3 years lost

    • Uttar Pradesh: 5 years lost

• Potential Gains in Life Expectancy:

  • If air pollution levels were reduced to India's PM2.5 standard of 40 µg/m³, Indians could gain an average of 1.5 years in life expectancy.

  • Reducing pollution to meet WHO’s stricter guideline of 5 µg/m³ could add up to 9.4 months to life expectancy, even in cleaner regions.

• Regional Trends:

  • South Asia is identified as the most polluted region globally, with PM2.5 concentrations rising by 2.8% in 2023 after a brief dip in 2022.

  • Air pollution across South Asia reduces life expectancy by an average of 3 years, with the most affected areas losing more than 8 years of life expectancy.

Significance of the Findings

• The report highlights the public health crisis created by air pollution, stressing the need for more stringent regulations and greater investment in reducing pollution levels.

• It underscores the health inequities faced by people living in the most polluted areas, particularly in the north and east of India.

• These findings support the growing calls for improving air quality standards, stricter enforcement of pollution norms, and widespread public health awareness.

Conclusion

The AQLI 2025 report paints a grim picture of air pollution’s toll on India's public health, pointing to a significant reduction in life expectancy. It emphasizes the need for urgent action to mitigate pollution, improve air quality, and ultimately increase the life expectancy of millions of Indians. The findings call for a collaborative approach involving government action, policy reforms, and individual participation to combat this growing environmental threat