Air pollution caused 1.7 million deaths in India in 2022: Report
In 2022, air pollution was behind 1.7 million deaths across India—a 38% jump since 2010, says a new Lancet Countdown report.
The research, involving 128 experts from 71 academic institutions and UN agencies, highlights just how serious the health crisis has become.
Fossil fuels and financial hit
Fossil fuel burning caused nearly half these deaths, with petrol-powered road transport alone responsible for about 2.7 lakh lives lost.
The financial hit is massive too: outdoor air pollution cost India $339 billion in 2022—almost a 10th of the country's GDP.
Need for quicker action
Despite efforts to clean up the air, both death rates and economic losses keep rising because India's shift to clean energy is slow.
With COP30 around the corner, experts are urging quicker action to protect people's health and future livelihoods.