Nepal Launches National Air Quality Management Action Plan

Strategic Insights -

The Nepal government, through the Department of Environment, has initiated the development of the country's first National Air Quality Management Action Plan (NAQMAP). This plan aims to reduce air pollution across the country and guide the national air quality management strategy. The NAQMAP is being developed in collaboration with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the United Kingdom International Development. A workshop was held to bring together experts from China, India, and Nepal to share best practices in air quality management.

Key Takeaways:

  • The NAQMAP is a crucial step towards reducing air pollution in Nepal, with 89% of the population living in areas with PM2.5 levels above the WHO interim target of 35 ug/m3.
  • The plan aims to cut fuel emissions, ban polluting energy sources, and monitor air quality, as seen in India's National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), which launched in 2019.
  • China's model of air quality management was also shared, where particulate and emissions fell without negatively impacting economic growth, with Beijing seeing a 50% reduction in emissions.
  • Investing in a national action plan has multiple benefits, including a better understanding of factors impacting health, economic productivity, and crop yields.
  • Black carbon, a climate forcer, endangers food, energy, and water security for nearly two billion people in Asia, highlighting the need for air quality management.

Statistics:

  • 89% of Nepal's population lives in areas with PM2.5 levels above the WHO interim target of 35 ug/m3 (2024 global report).
  • India's National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) has seen a reduction in emissions since its launch in 2019.
  • Beijing has seen a 50% reduction in emissions due to strict norms and online monitoring of industrial emissions data (Chinese model of air quality management).
  • Black carbon, a climate forcer, endangers food, energy, and water security for nearly two billion people in Asia.

Sources:

  • International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)
  • United Kingdom International Development
  • China's Research Academy of Environmental Sciences
  • India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
  • Gyanraj Subedi, Director General at the Department of Environment
  • Ashish Tiwari, Air Pollution Lead at ICIMOD
  • Jonathan Reeves, Senior Climate and Energy Adviser, British Embassy, Nepal