You may find it hard to believe, but 1.3 billion people, that is almost all of India, live in regions where the annual average particulate pollution level exceeds the WHO guidelines. In fact, according to the latest report submitted by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, out of India’s ten most polluted cities, four are in Bihar, three in Uttar Pradesh, two in Assam, and one in Rajasthan.
To prevent the situation from worsening further, both in terms of air pollution and related climate change, taking timely, preventive action has become critical. In today’s blog post, we at the Tribhuvan College of Environment and Development Sciences, a renowned environmental science college in Delhi NCR, will discuss ways that can help curb air pollution and will also shed light on the linkage between air pollution and climate change.
Air Pollution X Climate Change: The Link
Air Pollution and Climate Change are closely associated with each other, where one impacts the other and vice versa. Be it the burning of fossil fuels, the release of pollutants in the environment, or the altered weather patterns, the triggers behind both these environmental problems are somewhat overlapping. This also means that if we address one trigger, both these environmental issues shall become a thing of the past. Let us now look at the top 4 triggers behind these environmental problems and how solving one can help solve the other.
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Control Greenhouse Emissions ➡ Control Air Pollution ➡ Control Climate Change
We at the Tribhuvan College of Environment and Development Sciences would like to bring two facts to your attention through this blog post today. First, greenhouse gases act as a major contributor to air pollution. Second, greenhouse gases are responsible for climate change by polluting the air. Hence, all it takes is to control emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane in the environment. Doing so can help in lowering air pollution levels, indirectly mitigating the problem of climate change.
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Forward Renewal Energy Sources ➡ Control Climate Change ➡ Control Air Pollution
If we are looking at securing life on this planet in the present and the future, it is necessary that we move our attention from non-renewable energy sources to renewable ones. In recent times, the sun, wind, and water have come to become popular and trusted renewable energy sources. Parallely, investments are also encouraged in renewable energy technologies, which come together to help fight climate change. Since reliance on carbon-intensive energy sources has now come down significantly, addressing the problem of air pollution also becomes easier. Here again, two environmental problems get resolved with the help of a single proactive action.
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Safeguard Ecosystems ➡ Control Air Pollution ➡ Control Climate Change
In recent times, air pollution has become the number one cause behind our ecosystems experiencing damage. Moreover, because of this harm, it is becoming increasingly difficult for our ecosystems to sequester carbon. To prevent this from developing into a toxic pattern, we at the Tribhuvan College of Environment and Development Sciences feel that watching over air pollution has become critical. Efforts must be made to block pollutants like nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide from entering the environment. If this can be done correctly, battling air pollution and, indirectly, climate change can become a lot more feasible.
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Invest in Public Health Measures ➡ Control Climate Change ➡ Control Air Pollution
In the year 2022, India experienced a deadly heatwave. During this time, the temperatures had gone as high as 51 degrees Celsius. However, what many of you may not know is that climate change increases the probability of a region facing heat waves by almost 100 times. All this put together, directly impacts public health. Hence, the need of the hour is to approach the problem in reverse. Look at improving public health measures and eradicating the problem of climate change should not be difficult. Once the climate change concern is addressed, the problem of air pollution will also become manageable.
Summing Up:
All this while, if you have been viewing air pollution and climate change as two separate problems, it is time you understand that both these environmental concerns are interrelated. Air Pollution leads to Climate Change, while Climate Change triggers Air Pollution! This only proves that air pollution and climate change are two sides of the same coin. This means that if we can collectively work on curbing the triggers behind one problem, managing the other will become easier.
Through this blog post today, we at Tribhuvan College of Environment & Development Sciences, one of the most renowned environmental science colleges in Delhi NCR, would like you all to know that, at a very basic level, air pollution and climate change have resulted from harmful pollutants and chemicals finding their way into the environment. This makes it vital for every individual on this planet to reshape their actions in a way that harmful emissions can be prevented from mixing with clean air. Of course, this is something that will take time and patience. However, with persistent efforts, the goal can definitely be achieved. Thus, we urge you to keep pouring in your effort with consistency and determination, and we’ll definitely fetch our aim soon.