According to the report, the northern plains remain the most polluted region of the country, with nearly 544 million residents facing a five-year average loss in life expectancy if pollution persists. (Express Archives: Gajendra Yadav)Residents of Delhi could live 8.2 years longer on average if particulate concentrations were reduced to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guideline, according to a report.The Air Quality Life Index, developed by the University of Chicago, states that the AQLI is a pollution index that converts particulate matter levels into “perhaps the most important metric that exists, namely, their impact on life expectancy.”According to the report, India is among the most polluted countries in the world, and ranks second out of 252 countries, “potentially losing a total of 4.9B years”.It stated that air pollution is the number one cause of death in the country. “Particulate air pollution (PM2.5) shortens the average life expectancy by 3.5 years in India, relative to what it would be if the World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline of 5µg/m³ were met”.“In India’s capital, the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, an average resident could live 8.2 years longer if particulate concentrations were brought down to meet the WHO guideline. This is the highest potential gain in life expectancy across all regions globally,” the report said.“The biggest increase in particulate pollution occurred in NCT of Delhi, with pollution concentrations increasing by 56.90 percent from 1998 – 2023,” it added.The report noted that in 2023, particulate concentration in India stood at 41 µg/m³, which is more than eight times the WHO guideline, and slightly higher than the country’s national ambient PM2.5 standard of 40 µg/m³. “With a 1.2 percent increase in particulate levels in 2023 compared to 2022, an average resident in India could live 3.5 years longer if pollution levels were brought down to meet the WHO guideline,” it added.Story continues below this adThe AQLI also highlighted that “all of India’s 1.4 billion people live in areas where the annual average particulate pollution level exceeds the WHO guideline”. “This means that even people living in the cleanest regions of India could live 9.4 months longer if particulate concentrations in these regions were reduced to meet the WHO guideline.”According to the report, the northern plains remain the most polluted region of the country, with nearly 544 million residents facing a five-year average loss in life expectancy if pollution persists. Delhi, however, stands out globally with the largest potential gain from cleaner air.This 38.9 per cent of India’s population could also gain 1.6 years of life expectancy relative to the national standard, if current pollution levels were reduced to meet the WHO guideline.“Outside of Delhi and the Northern Plains of India, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra face the highest health burden of particulate pollution. Reducing particulate pollution to meet the WHO guideline could add 3.3, 3.1 and 2.8 years respectively to the average life expectancy in these states,” the report added.Story continues below this adAQLI is developed by the University of Chicago’s Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor in Economics, Michael Greenstone, and his team at the Energy Policy Institute at the varsity.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd