From Air Pollution- New Delhi has the Most Economic Impact in the World in the First Half of 2020

Environmental Groups has launched an Online Tool on 9^th July 2020 as per which India’s Capital New Delhi has the most Economic Impact (based on Per Capita) in the World from Air Pollution during the first half of the year 2020.

About the Online Tool

• The online tool is named ‘Clean Air Counter’. To estimate the health impact due to Air Pollution, the Clean Air Counter tool uses models that have been devised under the epidemiological observational study of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD).
• The tool was launched under a combined effort of the Regional South East Asia Office of the global environmental organization- Greenpeace, Centre For Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA- Headquartered at Finland’s Helsinki) and IQAir AirVisual.
• Clean Air Counter Tool has measured Smog Pollution in 28 major cities across the world.

Highlights from the Report by Clean Air Counter Tool (1^st January to 30^th June 2020)

• China’s Shanghai registered the highest an estimated 27,000 deaths due to Air Pollution among the 28 cities, followed by New Delhi with an estimated 25,000 and China’s capital Beijing with estimated 22,000 deaths.
• On Per Capita Basis:  New Delhi has suffered the most economic impact. An estimated 5.8 percent of New Delhi’s annual GDP was lost due to Air Pollution. Beijing and Mumbai are ranked in 2^nd and 3^rd Place respectively in terms of annual GDP loss.
• USD 3.5 billion is the total estimated cost of air pollution in New Delhi during the first half of 2020. Out of USD 3.5 billion, USD 2.57 billion is the estimated cost in New Delhi due to Year of Life Lost (as a result of high PM2.5).