India Overtakes China with 39 Cities in Top 100 Most Polluted Cities Globally, Report Show

India has secured a spot in the top 100 worst polluted cities globally, with 39 Indian cities on the list, surpassing its neighbour, China which has only 30 cities on the list, according to the recent S&P Global Mobility report.

Delhi has already witnessed one of the worst air pollution conditions this season with air quality index (AQI) numbers constantly exceeding 500.

The report has also highlighted that Pakistan ranks third with seven cities, followed by Bangladesh with five and Nepal with two cities. This means that more than half (53, to be precise) of the top 100 most polluted cities in the world are located  in the Indian subcontinent.

In 2023, IQAir, an international monitoring agency, ranked Delhi as the most polluted capital in the world, with Beijing in China placed 18th. Among countries with the highest average PM2.5 concentrations, India ranked third, after Bangladesh and Pakistan. China, meanwhile, ranked 19th, showcasing its evident efforts in reducing pollution levels.

A key contributor to the pollution in India’s cities is emissions from coal plants, which are significantly worsening the current air quality crisis.

Read More: Thermal Power Plants Cause 240 Times More Air Pollution than Stubble Burning: CREA Report

Coal Trouble

India’s coal-burning power plants are facing challenges in meeting pollution control targets, further exacerbating the country's pollution crisis.

According to a Bloomberg report, nearly three-quarters of coal-fired plants near major cities are set to miss a year-end deadline for installing equipment to curb sulfur-dioxide emissions.

This could significantly increase pollution levels across the country. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) estimates that the installation of such equipment could reduce the country’s total sulphur-dioxide emissions by nearly two-thirds.

Approximately 20 gigawatts of coal plants near major cities are facing a deadline in December for installing pollution control equipment. Other plants located in critically polluted areas must comply by the end of 2025, while the remaining plants must meet the standards by 2026.

The government first set the goal to reduce power plant emissions in 2015 but has already delayed the compliance twice.

As the country combats worsening pollution, it is crucial that India not only meets its environmental targets urgently but also accelerates its transition to cleaner, sustainable energy solutions to protect public health and ensure a livable future for all.