Climate: unbreathable air in a major world metropolis

Poor air quality shortens life expectancy. There are plenty of examples of this. The air quality in the capital of India deteriorated at the beginning of this week when pollution levels reached their highest this year after weak winds in the cold season and the burning of some crops in neighboring states led to the annual episode of severe pollution. New Delhi is the most polluted metropolis, and as a result, life expectancy here is more than 10 years lower, according to the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, adding that India has been responsible for 59% of the increase in global pollution since 2013. "New Delhi is facing the worst pollution levels of this season, and it's unlikely to get better in the coming days," said a senior official from the Ministry of Earth Sciences' SAFAR monitoring system. The New Delhi government has launched an anti-dust campaign to combat pollution, imposing restrictions on construction work and sending water-spraying devices to remove dust from the air. However, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in this city of 20 million residents, where few people use air purifiers or wear protective masks, has risen to 346 on a scale of 500, indicating "very poor" air quality, according to the ministry's Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research System. A level exceeding 60 is considered unhealthy. In some areas of the city, the AQI has exceeded 400, indicating "severe" pollution levels, according to government data. The index measures levels of PM2.5 atmospheric particles that, when inhaled, can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause deadly conditions such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. The burning of crops in neighboring states, although practiced less than last year, has contributed to the capital's pollution, said the SAFAR official, adding that weak winds exacerbate the problem. The more than 10 million vehicles in the capital, more than in other Indian cities, worsen the problem due to the exhaust gases they emit.