How Clean Is the Air Around You?

#MyRightToBreathe. If Delhi significantly reduced its air pollution, life expectancy could increase by 9 years.

In 2015, 92 percent of the world’s population lived in places where air quality levels exceeded WHO limits.

(Photo: Rahul Gupta/The Quint)

If India reduced its air pollution to comply with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) air quality standards, points out an IndiaSpend report, its people could live about four years longer on average, the Air Quality-Life Index (AQLI) released on 12 September by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago shows.

Among India’s most populous cities, the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi would make the most impressive gains in average life expectancy (nine years), followed by Agra (8.1 years) and Bareilly (7.8 years).

Also Read: Maharashtra Has India’s Worst Air Quality Index, Not Delhi

(Infographics: Rahul Gupta/The Quint)

Additionally, in 2015, 92 percent of the world's population lived in places where air quality levels exceeded WHO limits. Of the total, 86 percent of them lived in China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The same year, 4.2 million deaths were recorded globally due to air pollution, and China and India accounted for 50 percent of these deaths.

India sees about 1.2 million deaths annually due to air pollution.

(Source: Greenpeace India, WHO, Global Burden of Disease project )

(Breathe out: Are you finding it tough to breathe in polluted air? Join hands with The Quint in partnership with #MyRightToBreathe to find a solution for pollution. Send in your suggestions to [e-mail] or WhatsApp @ [phone] )