Essay Example on Air Pollution: A Global Threat & Its Impact

Introduction

Air pollution is a global problem that has contributed negatively to climate change and population health. Air pollution is a problem for both developed and developing nations due to the 1952 fog in London that affected people's health, killing around 3000 individuals the world health organization WHO, in conjunction with UNEP, emphasized on the need to monitor global environments. They launched the global environmental monitoring system that monitors air pollution in urban areas and more so in megacities (Baklanov, Molina & Gauss, 2016). Today world largest population lives in cities, and as a result, urban centers are expanding to what we call megacities. The increased human activities in the growing towns have, however, affected negatively on natural environment distress. Air pollution is identified as an increasing concern in megacities. As a result, in this study, air pollution in megacities of Mumbai and Delhi will be studied and compared to that of Paris, a megacity in Europe, France.

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Delhi, Mumbai and Paris geographical location and population

India is ranked among the world most populated nations in the world, and due to the high population, air pollution is a big problem in the country. Air pollution has been identified as a primary source of health hazards among the Indian population, mostly in the megacities' (Gurjar, Ravindra & Nagpure, 2016). According to Grover & Singh (2020), the world health organization statistics indicate that over 4.2 million cases of premature deaths are reported across the globe, and India alone 600,000 cases are reported a majority of the cases are from megacities of Mumbai and Delhi (Grover & Singh, 2020). Geographically Delhi is the capital city of India and its located in the northern region of the country the city covers an area of 1483sq.km the total population of the city according to 2011 sticks stands at 16,753,235 comprising with a higher number of males compared to female at 8,976,410 males and 7,776,825 females (Grover & Singh, 2020). However, due to the urbanization of rural surroundings, these statistics are bound to rise in the next census.

Mumbai is the largest India metropolitan and is ranked sixth in the world. The size of Mumbai is 4.355km2 the region has a moist climate. Mumbai has a growing industrial and commercial sector and an increase in the population of with18.41 million people. According to 2011 statistics, this number has grown gradually as the city develops (Grover & Singh, 2020). While Mumbai and Delhi are situated in Asia, Paris is in Europe. Paris is the capital of France, and it is located on the northern side of France in Europe Paris is considered as the most significant metropolitan with the largest population across Europe. The city has a population of around 12 million people. Ten million of the population lives in the town of urban areas. However, the 2 million other population is that of people who commute to the city from surrounding areas that are within the town limit. The Paris metropolitan sits on 14,418km2. The city is affected by the ocean climate and experiences extreme temperatures.

Air pollution in Delhi and Mumbai

Delhi and Mumbai have the word largest population, and the number is likely to increase as time progress. Due to the growing community, the air pollution standards deteriorate every day. The two megacities air pollution is a result of industries, construction, vehicle pollution, electricity generation, house combustion, sea salt, waste burning, and road dust. Air pollution does not affect the megacities population only, but the entire nation in general. Increased mortality rates, respiratory conditions, and reduced agricultural yields are reported in India due to the air pollution from the megacities (Maji, Dikshit & Chaudhary, 2017). In 2010-2011, India reported around 100000 premature deaths with 200000 cases reported in Delhi alone and around 20 million asthma cases(Maji, Dikshit & Chaudhary, 2017) A study done in 2016 in Mumbai show that industrial and power plant emissions were a significant contributor to air pollution at 35.82%. The biofuel was tanked second at 27.05% in pollution; this is because of high poverty rates (Maji, Dikshit & Chaudhary, 2017). Compared to Delhi, biofuel emission was more elevated in Mumbai. Construction and construction dust and road dust stand at 21.2%. Vehicle emission contribution is said to be on the rise due to the increased number of automotive resulting to rise in traffic.

Delhi air pollution contributors (Jain & Khare, 2008)

According to studies by Gurjar, Ravindra & Nagpure (2016), Mumbai and Delhi have varying pollutant emission rates. Delhi, for example, ranked to have the most abundant sulfur dioxide emission compared to other megacities. The Sulfur dioxide emission is from power plants, transport sector, and industries. The sulfur emission sources vary over the years. However, since 2003 the sulfur dioxide concentration is registered to be on the decline (Somvanshi et al., 2019). The reduction is accredited to the government pollution reduction standards and policy implementation that saw shutdown and relocation industries that were considered hazardous. In Mumbai, sulfur dioxide emission rates are high, and industries were the primary contributors to the sulfur dioxide emission followed by the transport sector. According to Gurjar, Ravindra & Nagpure (2016), in 2010, sulfur dioxide emission from all areas stood at 56.48Gg. When compared to other megacities like Delhi, Mumbai remains the leading sulfur dioxide emitter despite the policies put in place to lower the concentration.

Oxides of nitrogen are standard gas discovered to have excided concentration limits in Mumbai and Delhi megacities. The Auto fuel policy report of 2002 shows that in Delhi, oxides of nitrogen level were at 16Gg arise from the 1990 statistics, which were at 94 Gg (Gurjar, Ravindra & Nagpure, 2016). The highest emitter is automotive followed by domestic services, industries, and lastly, power plants. Diesel automobiles were the leading source of gas emission. As the transport industry grows and poor automotive maintenance is registered, the emission rates of oxides of nitrogen continue to grow up-to-date (Somvanshi et al. 2019). In Mumbai, the world health organization identified motor vehicles as the primary contributors to oxides of nitrogen gas at 60%, while the industries contributed 40%. The emissions have increased continuously over the years because, in 1993, the oxides of nitrogen emission in the city were at 16.33 Gg and by 2007 at 79 Gg (Gurjar, Ravindra & Nagpure, 2016). Comparing Delhi to Mumbai, the oxide of nitrogen remains higher in deli because public transport is everyday used.

In terms of Particulate matters (PM), Delhi is the world most polluted megacity with PM10. The primary sources of particulate matter are thermal power, domestic coal burning, small industries, biomass burning, and transport. The highest source at 80% is the industries and transportation at 15 %( Gurjar, Ravindra & Nagpure, 2016). New studies, however, indicate that burning of municipal solid waste is a rising contributor to the particulate matter since it acts as a direct source. Just like Delhi, Mumbai follows suite. The particulate matter ranking of Mumbai sees the city ranked third worldwide. The primary sources in Mumbai particulate matter are transport at 39%, non-combustion industrial sources at 26% oil burning in industries at 18% domestic fuel burning at 18% (Gurjar, Ravindra & Nagpure, 2016). Studies also show that the particulate matter concentration rose during winter.

Comparing Paris to Delhi and Mumbai

Just like Mumbai and Delhi, air pollution has a negative impact on the Paris population's health. According to Chardon, et al. (2007), statistics in the European Union region 800,000 premature deaths are recorded as a result of cardiovascular and respiratory health conditions. In France alone, air pollution deaths a year stand around 48,000. Paris is one of the most densely populated city in the European Union. Air pollution is higher in the region compared to other megacities in the area. According to Skyllakou et al. (2014), in Paris, air pollution sources are transport, commercial and domestic heating, and industries. The air pollution sources, however, are fewer compared to those of India megacities. In Paris, the transit Lorries, cars, delivery vehicles, and two-wheel automotive are the most significant problem. The oxides of nitrogen are highest in the area due to the transport sector at 53%. Transport also contributes to 20% emission of particulate matter, which is as a result of increased vehicles using diesel and 15% of the combustion compounds.

Pari's most significant problem and most prominent source of air pollution is the transport sector, unlike in Delhi and Mumbai, where gas emission resulting in air pollution comes from a variety of areas. Despite the policies enacted in India to control air pollution in megacities, the process is slow. When the government solves one problem, another source remains a problem. While sulfur oxides are still a great nuisance in Delhi and Mumbai, in Paris, the sulfur oxide emissions have been reduced. The reduction of sulfur oxides is due to the enactment of government policy to the relocation of heavy industries from the Paris metropolitan (Bessagnet et al. 2005). Although the government has made great strides in combating air pollution in France, for example, by introducing the Euro V heavy vehicles, more years are needed to lower the level and meet the European limit stander, which is 40 mg m3 annual mean (Font et al.,. 2019).

Oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter remain a significant threat. Due to the increased number of automotive in the transport sector, the emission of oxides of nitrogen rises above the average standard. On March 11, 2014, Paris experienced the highest level of particulate matters, which turned the atmosphere from smoggy such that major landmarks were invisible. Plume lab which monitors over 60 megacities across the globe equated that air quality index that was above 15o was critical and harmful on March 11, 2014, Paris experience extreme index close to those of Delhi at 125. The high-level experienced particulate matter was linked in this case to the high number of diesel vehicles.