Review of Environmental Economics and Policy Advance Access originally published online on July 8, 2008
Review of Environmental Economics and Policy 2008 2(2):276-291; doi:10.1093/reep/ren010
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Policy Monitor
Urban Air Pollution in India
* Consultant, World Bank, 1818 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20433; telephone: (202)-478-0547; fax: (202)-477-6301; e-mail: unarain{at}worldbank.org
The majority of India's population still lives in villages, but towns and cities are growing rapidly. The increased economic activity that has accompanied this urbanization has also contributed to rising air pollution in India. Like much of the world, India has relied solely on command-and-control policies to reduce air pollution from mobile sources, establishing stricter vehicle emissions standards (along with improved fuel quality) to control emissions from new vehicles, and inspection and maintenance programs for vehicles already in use. As for stationary sources, traditionally the emphasis has also been on command-and-control policies (establishing emission standards and granting permits to operate). However, in recent years India has begun to implement voluntary agreements and information disclosure programs. This article reviews the institutions and policies that have been established in India to control air pollution. We also review how these institutions and policies have been applied to reduce air pollution in the Indian capital, Delhi, and the extent to which they are being implemented in other Indian cities.
JEL Classification: Q53, Q58
This article was written while the author was a fellow at Resources for the Future.