Prevention of Clean Air

Air Pollution: Key Environmental Issues in Pakistan(W-99) | |
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|Mahmood A. Khwaja and Shaheen Rafi Khan |
|2005 |
|Air pollution is rapidly growing environmental problem in Pakistan. Highly inefficient energy use, accelerated growth in vehicle |
|population and vehicle kilometers traveled, increasing industrial activity without adequate air emission treatment or control, |
|open burning of solid waste including plastic, and use of ozone depleting substances (ODSs) are some of the major causes of |
|deterioration of ambient air quality. |
|Some key environmental issues about air quality in Pakistan have been assessed and discussed, using the Pressure, State, Impact |
|and Response (P-S-I-R) framework. |
|Rapidly growing energy demand, fuel substitution such as high emitting coal and oil, and high-energy intensity are the key factors|
|contributing to air pollution. Some factors contributing to high-energy intensity are transmission and distribution losses in |
|power generation, fuel prices subsidies on diesel and ageing vehicles, which are primarily diesel powered. |
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|The state of air quality has been assessed by examining the emission levels of air pollutants and ambient air quality. The average|
|increase in sulfur dioxide across major emitting sectors (industry, transport and power) has been 23-fold over the past 20 years. |
|Similarly, nitrogen oxides increased to 25-fold in the power sector and carbon dioxide increased an average of fourfold. |
|Pakistan’s per capita greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are far below the global average. |
|Ambient air quality data show that carbon monoxide levels in Karachi and Lahore considerably exceed WHO’s recommended levels. |
|Particulate matter content cross safety levels in the major industrial cities in the Punjab province. The reported lead levels in |
|ambient air sites in Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi are also quite high compared to WHO’s permissible levels. |
|The health impacts of air, water pollution and productivity losses from deforestation and soil erosion have been assessed at 1.71 |
|billion dollars, or 3.3 percent of GNP, in the early 90s. The losses attributed to air pollution, in terms of health care costs, |
|amount to 500 million dollars a year. |
|To combat air pollution, the government has formulated acts and policies, including the National Environment Action Plan (NEAP). |
|Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 (PEPA-97) covers air, water, soil and noise pollution, including hazardous waste |
|disposal and vehicular pollution. Its section 15, sub-sections 1 to 3, pertain to regulation of motor vehicles. |
|NEAP reflects a renewed commitment to environment and focuses on taking immediate measures in four priority areas of concerns – |
|air, water, solid waste, and ECO system management – to achieve a visible improvement in the quality of environment, including |
|air. |