ISLAMABAD: The Fair Finance Pakistan, a coalition of NGOs and think-tanks, has called for introducing clean air legislation, enhanced air quality monitoring measures and greater investments in low-carbon technology to improve air quality for the people.

Commemorating the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, which will be observed on Thursday (today), the coalition has launched a digital campaign #LegislateNow which will focus on this year’s theme #Together for Clean Air and voice the civil society’s perspective on legislation, stronger public-private partnerships, technology investments and repurposing finance role for overcoming environmental pollution.

Quoting the Air Quality Life Index 2023, the coalition said as many as 69.5pc of Pakistan’s population will lose up to five years of their lives to neurological, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases with the current levels of air pollution.

Each person in Pakistan has an annual mean exposure of particulate matter pollution to 63 µg/m3 - 12 times higher than the WHO’s recommended 5 µg/m3. As many as 17pc of deaths in Pakistan are attributed to air pollution, while 25pc deaths are due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease caused by exposure to particulate pollution in the air.

Lives of around 70pc Pakistanis cut short by five years due to pollution, says report

The coalition data showed that Punjab, Islamabad Capital Territory and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were the top-most air-polluted provinces and their population was likely to lose up to 4.6 years of life expectancy.

The health impacts of air pollution drive up disease burden and associated health care costs, lower productive capacity and result in lost days worked.

In his message on X (formerly twitter), Country Programme Lead, Fair Finance Pakistan Asim Jaffry said: “#LegislateNow asks for the policy circles and other stakeholders to introduce clean air legislation to uplift people out of the air pollution crisis. Americans are exposed to 65pc less particulate pollution than in 1970, prior to the passage of the Clean Air Act. Pakistan has great potential to replicate US learnings on this front.”

He further said: “Multi-lateral donors should mobilise public and private sector investments to build a financial regime that can address societal challenges. Channeling technical support in transferring clean technologies and renewable sources of energy will boost low-carbon, sustainable and resilient economy and help Pakistan’s energy crises.”

Air Quality Life Index 2023 reports Pakistanis can gain upto seven years of life if levels can be reduced to the WHO recommended level of 5µg/m3. Major urban cities in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as Karachi have very high levels of particulate matter pollution due to industrial emissions.

Reduction in carbon emissions from industries can prolong lives, keep people healthy and productive and contribute positively to the GDP. For instance, reduction of current levels of 59.65µg/m3 in the sports goods manufacturing city of Sialkot can add up to 5.4 years of life expectancy. Similarly, residents of Gujranwala and Faisalabad stand to add 5.6 and 3.8 years to their life expectancy, respectively, if air pollution concentration is reduced to the WHO guidelines.

In her message, Climate and Energy Manager, WWF-Pakistan, Nazifa Butt said: “If we have to move towards low-carbon development while improving air quality and addressing the smog situation, continuous Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGs) inventory and air quality monitoring system that can feed into reporting and evaluation is vital for data-driven policy making.”

In their statement, Fair Finance Pakistan Coalition, a network of civil society organisations, think tanks, consumer protection groups, academia and the business community have called attention for stronger political will to bolster low-carbon investments to ensure clean air and greater life expectancy.

The Network for Consumer Protection CEO Nadeem Iqbal has recommended that public awareness of air quality data was vital to maintain transparency and catalyse greater citizens action towards air quality measures and solutions.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2023