Context:

The State of Global Air (SoGA) 2025 report was recently released by the Health Effects Institute (HEI) in collaboration with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) reveals that air pollution caused 7.9 million deaths globally in 2023.

Key findings:

Air pollution remains the leading environmental risk factor for death worldwide, contributing to about 7.9 million deaths in 2023.

·        Of those deaths, some 6.8 million (≈86 %) were due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, lung cancer, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes and dementia.

·        Around 36% of the world’s population is exposed to annual average PM₂.₅ levels above 35 µg/m³ (the least-stringent interim target).

·        Roughly 2.6 billion people (about one-third of humanity) are exposed to pollution from burning solid fuels (household cooking/heating) at home.

India-Specific Findings:

India recorded about 2 million deaths in 2023 linked to air-pollution exposure.

·        This marks about 43% rise since 2000 (when ≈1.4 million deaths were recorded).

·        The death-rate in India from air pollution is roughly 186 deaths per 100,000 people, compared with about 17 per 100,000 in high-income countries.

·        About 89%-90% of the air-pollution-related deaths in India are due to NCDs (heart disease, lung cancer, COPD, diabetes etc).

·        Regional exposure: Approximately 75% of India’s population live in areas where annual PM₂.₅ levels exceed the WHO interim target of 35 µg/m³.

·        Geographic hotspots: States such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar and West Bengal each recorded over 100,000 air-pollution-related deaths in 2023

Policy implications:

The findings demand urgent, integrated action:

·        Air-quality policy must converge with public-health policy, recognising air pollution as a core risk factor for NCDs.

·        State-specific, locally-tailored action plans are essential, since exposure and sources vary by region.

·        Enhanced monitoring and health-surveillance systems are critical to track progress and target interventions.

·        Key sources like transport emissions, industrial output, crop-residue burning, urban dust and energy transitions, must be addressed for effective mitigation.

Conclusion:

The State of Global Air 2025 report paints a stark picture of the devastating impact of air pollution on global health. The report's findings underscore the need for a multi-faceted approach that includes strengthening air quality standards, investing in clean energy and transportation infrastructure, and promoting public awareness campaigns.