Protecting Health and a Sustainable Future 

It needs clean air 

According to the Health Effects Institute’s State of Global Air report, toxic air pollution shortens average life expectancy by approximately 20 months globally. Air pollution is one of the vital environmental challenges today. It is faced by almost every major city in the world. The large cities have been specially polluted. Dirty air is choking people all over the world.

According to global health estimates, air pollution contributed to approximately 1.2 million deaths in China in 2017. Dirty air causes much harm and affects more people than any viral disease. Repeatedly getting sick because of dirty air weakens the children’s immune system and forces people to move out of the cities to live in clean air in the rural areas. 

Why do cities like Dhaka and New Delhi regularly top the list of the most polluted cities in the world? It is common knowledge that melting of permafrost in the Arctic and loss of ice in Greenland are alarming, and similarly, our glaciers in the North are also melting at a rapid speed, and in a few years, this may lead to further increases in temperature. 2023 was declared the hottest year in human history. In such a situation, it would be important to know what the bigger cities in the world are doing to overcome air pollution. 

It can be said that cycling may be a viable option for daily commuting. The wide use of cycles also reduces maintenance costs while providing health and environmental benefits. For longer travels, electric bikes can be introduced. Reducing car traffic will help lower air pollution. Strategic planning and community engagement are a must to achieve this. Only Government efforts to curb emissions are not enough. Active participation from communities and proper regulatory enforcement are key to many problems we face concerning water scarcity and air pollution

Even a small reduction in air pollution is beneficial for our health. One measure may include making common the use of cycles, for which there must be separate lanes. In Denmark, there are separate lanes for cycles, which are regularly maintained. Denmark has set global standards for sustainable urban living.

Industry should shift to cleaner fuel. Investing in renewable energy must be another priority. Minimizing the use of coal also improves air quality. Another way is to switch to eco-friendly stoves.

There must be more use of sensors to check the air quality in the bigger cities of Pakistan. Also, there should be more low-cost monitors installed, and for this, a collaboration of all the relevant stakeholders is essential. What matters is the health of the people, and cities should work together for the attainment of this. Metro Services may also be expanded to discourage the use of private cars, as vehicular emissions are one of the biggest causes of air pollution. Electric substitutes for the old-style combustion engines should be introduced, and converting combustion engines to electric engines is the need of the hour.

The World Health Organization uses PM2.5 as a key indicator of air pollution, which consists of tiny solid particles and liquid matter. IQ Air also reports air quality rankings based on PM2.5 concentrations. Climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme rainfall events. The loss of property and human lives is a tragic outcome of these intensified weather events. 

Air pollution is a threat in urban areas, as open dumps and improper waste disposal result in the release of toxic gases that contribute significantly to air pollution. Similarly, water conservation promotes sustainable urban management, and indirectly helps reduce the pollution that worsens the air quality. As a standard system, various measures can be adopted. We do not clean our drains regularly. If the streams and stormwater drains are kept clear, it will help keep the environment clean. In the big streams, when water comes, it can be drained to the ocean through a pipeline; in this way, the hazard of flooding is avoided.

Rain harvesting must be mandatory. Every large house must have a special tank to store rainwater either on roofs or underground. For surface water, regional ponds can be made. Air emissions are also generated because of open dumps. Dumps must be designed in such a way that they are safe and in agreement with environmental regulations. The technology and designs are very much available, so work on technology transfer must be done. For tackling the issue of open dumps, door-to-door collection of garbage can be carried out. Through a system of electronic monitoring, the trucks containing garbage can be tracked, and in case of throwing it at the wrong place, they must be fined.

Recycling water can significantly reduce freshwater demand and improve urban water security. These problems should be fixed so that we prepare well for the next rainy season and do not face any disaster at that time.

Wise nations plan before the calamity falls. Through a ‘first-flush’ system (This system directs the first rainwater away to keep the stored water clean), the initial contaminated rainwater can be diverted and treated before storing the cleaner runoff. The remaining water can be used for irrigation, dust control, and other purposes. The water that gets accumulated in our streets during rain must be taken to a reservoir through a proper rainwater drainage system.

Some countries that are doing a relatively good job include China and the UK. In Thailand, water is collected during the monsoon in big ceramic vessels, and then is used for domestic purposes. Even in Switzerland, harvesting rain and storing it for later use is increasingly being encouraged through legislation. In Japan, underground storage systems are used. Los Angeles, once infamous for severe smog, has significantly improved its air quality through sustained regulatory measures. These actions for the improvement of air quality have yielded very good results. 

Urban forestry must be increased. Rationing of petrol is also a good step. One step can be carpooling to reduce pollution from vehicles. All those activities that produce greenhouse gases in excessive amounts should be fined. Several countries around the world have implemented carbon pricing mechanisms (policies that make releasing greenhouse gases costly) to reduce emissions.

It should also be ensured that on the roads, there is room for pedestrians. For this, the traffic must be reduced. Electricity consumption from industrial sources is leading to air pollution. Increasing use of electric vehicles can help reduce emissions from the transport sector.

It can be said that cycling may be a viable option for daily commuting. The wide use of cycles also reduces maintenance costs while providing health and environmental benefits. For longer travels, electric bikes can be introduced. Reducing car traffic will help lower air pollution. Strategic planning and community engagement are a must to achieve this. Only Government efforts to curb emissions are not enough. Active participation from communities and proper regulatory enforcement are key to many problems we face concerning water scarcity and air pollution.