KATHMANDU, JULY 08

Despite the fundamental right to clean environment in the constitution, major cities of Nepal, including Kathmandu, have continuously witnessed deteriorating air quality.

Article 30 (1) of the constitution ensures each person shall have the right to live in a healthy and clean environment.

Likewise, 30 (2) stipulates, 'The victim of environmental pollution and degradation shall have the right to be compensated by polluting agencies as provided for by law.' However, 222 deaths per 100,000 people in Nepal is due to air pollution.

The constitution has established the right of all Nepalis to live in a clean and healthy environment and formulated supportive policies including Environment Protection Act, Local Government Operation Act, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Periodic Plans, National Climate Change Policy, and Kathmandu Valley Air Quality Management Action Plan that aims to achieve clean air while reducing air pollution.

But, on the other hand, Nepal's National Ambient Air Quality Standard defines 40µg/m3 as the healthy limit for PM2.5 concentration whereas the global benchmark as per WHO, for PM2.5 concentration, is 5µg/m3.

With such policy gaps and improper implementation, it is not surprising that major cities, including Kathmandu, have deteriorating air quality.

According to the State of Global Air on Air Quality and Health of Cities 2022 report, 42,100 deaths were recorded in Nepal, including 5,000 in Kathmandu in the year 2019.

On an average, 222 deaths per 100,000 people in Nepal is due to air pollution, which is significantly higher than the global average (86 deaths per 100,000), adjusted for differences in age.

Each Nepali was exposed to 83μg/m3 emission in the year (2021 March to April) while the global average emission was 42.

It is because of this that Nepal is ranked world's top ten most vulnerable countries in terms of air quality in the world. Further, air pollution level is high in the dry winter season. It is said air pollution reduces life expectancy in Nepal by 4.2 years (EPIC 2022).

'Despite this, not much has been done to curb air pollution. The major challenges for better air quality management is poor networking among government stakeholders at the central, provincial and local levels,' Dr Bhupendra Das, Air Quality Expert told THT.

'Other reasons are inadequate practical research and consultations based policy which has hindered effective implementation,' he said, 'Also, little attention is given to air pollution. Inadequate budget, and less research and development are also inhibiting factors. Most of the fund generated by polluters pay principle, has remained unspent except for some minor activities.'

According to health researcher, Achyut Raj Pandey, particulate matter pollution measured as PM2.5 concentration in Nepal exceeds up to 15 times the WHO recommended level. As per WHO guideline, the annual average of PM2.5 should not exceed 5 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) while Nepal has an average annual concentration level of 80 μg/m3.

'If Nepal could meet the WHO interim target of reducing PM 2.5 level to 35 µg/m3, Nepal could reduce premature deaths from air pollution by 67 per cent by 2030 (higher than any other SouthEast Asian Countries), which equals to 26,500 deaths prevented annually,' said Pandey.

'Particulate matter pollution is responsible for approximately 40,000 deaths in Nepal annually which is higher than the total deaths caused by smoking (34,200 deaths), and high blood pressure (23,698),' he said, 'cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are responsible for 46,500 deaths annually in Nepal, of which 14,102 deaths are associated with particulate matter pollution.'

A version of this article appears in the print on July 8, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.