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Air pollution has emerged as India’s gravest public health challenge, surpassing traditional concerns like malnutrition, unsafe water, and tobacco use. The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) 2025 Report, prepared by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), highlights how toxic air substantially reduces life expectancy across the country, with disproportionate impacts in the northern belt.

About Air Quality Life Index (AQLI)

• Developed by Michael Greenstone and EPIC, University of Chicago.
• Quantifies the impact of long-term exposure to PM2.5 on life expectancy.
• Combines research evidence with global particulate pollution data to estimate the loss in healthy years of life.

Key Findings of AQLI 2025 Report

National Impact

• Average life expectancy loss in India: 3.5 years.
• All 1.4 billion Indians live in areas exceeding the WHO’s safe limit of 5 µg/m³ for PM2.5.
• Comparative impact:
  • Malnutrition: 1.6 years lost
  • Tobacco use: 1.5 years lost
  • Unsafe water & sanitation: 8.4 months lost

Regional Disparities

• Northern India is the world’s most polluted region, with 544.4 million people (38.9% of population) exposed to severe pollution.
• Delhi-NCR: Worst affected, with residents losing 8.2 years of life expectancy (WHO standards).
  • By India’s weaker PM2.5 norm (40 µg/m³): 4.74 years lost.
• Other states:
  • Bihar: 5.6 years lost
  • Haryana: 5.3 years lost
  • Uttar Pradesh: 5 years lost

South Asian Context

• South Asia remains the most polluted region globally.
• PM2.5 levels rose by 2.8% in 2023 after a brief decline in 2022.
• Regional impact:
  • 3 years cut from average life expectancy.
  • Over 8 years lost in most affected zones.

Standards and Gains from Pollution Reduction

• 46% of Indians live in areas exceeding even India’s own PM2.5 limit of 40 µg/m³.
• Meeting national standards could add 1.5 years to life expectancy.
• Meeting WHO standards could add up to 9.4 months even in relatively cleaner regions.

What is the News ?

Annual update of the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) 2023 has been released.

Facts About:

India ranked second among the countries worst hit by air pollution with Bangladesh topping the list. 

• Nepal ranked third followed by Pakistan and Mongolia.

PMI in South Asia: Particulate pollution has increased9.7 percent from 2013 to 2021 in South Asia.

• In India, PM2.5 levels rose 9.5 percent; in Pakistan 8.8 percent; and in Bangladesh, levels rose by 12.4 percent over this same time interval.

Life Expectancy: An average Indian citizen loses around 5.3 years of life expectancy due to air pollution.

• While an average citizen in Bangladesh loses 6.8 years of their life to air pollution
• An average Chinese citizen has seen an improvement — from 4.7 years of life expectancy being lost in 2013 to 2.5 now, an improvement of 2.2 years,

Pollution in India: Pollution in India has increased from 56.2 µg/m3 in 2020 to 58.7 µg/m3 in 2021. 

• This is more than 10 times the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m3.

Health Risk: Pollution is biggest threat to human health in India in terms of lowering life expectancy, beating cardiovascular diseases and child and maternal malnutrition. 

• While particulate pollution takes 5.3 years off the life of the average Indian, cardiovascular diseases reduce life expectancy by about 4.5 years, and child and maternal malnutrition reduces life expectancy by 1.8 years.

Poor AIr in Delhi: It is the most polluted city in the world.

• Delhi’s annual average PM2.5 level in 2021 was found to be 126.5 µg/m3, which is more than 25 times the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline of 5 µg/m3.
• Delhi residents are on track to lose 11.9 years of life expectancy on average relative to the WHO limit and 8.5 years relative to the national guideline if the current pollution levels persist.

About Air Quality Life Index (AQLI)

• AQLI measures the impact of particulate pollution on life expectancy.
• It is released by Energy Policy Institute at University of Chicago (EPIC). 

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/your-life-is-getting-short-by-5-years-due-to-air-pollution-chicago-university-report-reavels-scary-numbers/articleshow/103198930.cms?from=mdr