How do India's emission standards compare to China's?

India's emission standards, particularly for sulfur dioxide and flue gas desulfurisation, are significantly less ambitious and have faced repeated delays compared to China's stringent Ultra-Low Emission (ULE) standards implemented by 2015.

How do agricultural policies contribute to air pollution in India?

Agricultural policies that heavily subsidize the overuse of urea lead to ammonia volatilization, which acts as a key component in forming deadly PM2.5 particles when combined with industrial gases.

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Air Quality Crisis: Industry's Dirty Secret Revealed

Q: What are the primary causes of India's air quality crisis?

India's air quality crisis is primarily caused by industrial precursor gases like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, which react with ammonia from agriculture to form PM2.5 particles, rather than just construction dust or farm stubble.

11 Feb

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Summary

PM2.5 pollution stems from industrial gases, not just dust.
India's emission standards lag significantly behind China's.
Agricultural subsidies contribute to smog formation.

Air Quality Crisis: Industry's Dirty Secret Revealed

The persistent winter air quality issues in Indian cities are primarily driven by industrial precursor gases, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, which react with ammonia from agriculture to form the dangerous PM2.5 particles. This chemical smog, rather than just construction dust or farm stubble, constitutes the core of the pollution problem. Atmospheric conditions in winter compress these pollutants, making them more accessible to lungs.

India's regulatory approach to emissions, particularly sulfur dioxide, has lagged significantly behind countries like China. While China implemented stringent Ultra-Low Emission (ULE) standards by 2015, India's Flue Gas Desulfurisation (FGD) norms, notified in 2015, have faced repeated delays, with the latest compliance deadline set for December 2027. Furthermore, India's current emission targets are considerably higher than China's ULE standards.