Rising Air Pollution in India: Lessons from China’s Fight Against Smog
Amid New Delhi's battle with air pollution, Yu Jing, China's spokesperson to India took to his X, drawing parallels between the air pollution crisis of both countries.
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2025-11-05 16:52 GMT
For the last week, the air quality index (AQI) of Delhi has consistently remained poor, ranging over 300. Not just Delhi, but other Indian cities are also struggling with the rising air pollution due to the vehicle emission among other factors, and dust pollution.
According to the latest data from the Central Pollution Control Board, the Air Quality Index (AQI) hovered around 400 on Tuesday, with Kaithal in Haryana and Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh recording ‘very poor’ levels of 393 and 384, respectively. Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu registered the highest AQI at 486, falling into the ‘severe’ category.
As per the recent data from the Central Pollution Control Board, the AQI was around 400 on Tuesday, with Kaithal in Haryana, and Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh recording 'very poor' levels of 393 and 384, respectively. Meanwhile, Thootukudi in Tamil Nadu recorded the highest AQI of 486, falling into the 'severe' category.
The IQAir report shows that three of the five most polluted cities in South Asia are located in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
Amid New Delhi's battle with air pollution, Yu Jing, China's spokesperson to India took to his X, drawing parallels between the air pollution crisis of both countries.
He added that Beijing is ready to share their journey towards blue skies.
"China once struggled with severe smog, too. We stand ready to share our journey toward blue ones—and believe India will get there soon," Yu wrote on X on Tuesday.
In 2013, China also battled with the similar crisis, infamously known as 'airpocalypse.' In response, the Chinese Communist Party-led government included certain measures, including barring of new coal-run power planbts, limitingcdar ownership, introducing all-electric bus fleets.
The gorvernment also launched an afforestation program with around 35 billion trees being planted across 12 provinces, and also cut down on iron and steel production.
As per a 2021 report by Earth.Org, "With over $100 billion invested, China’s forestry spending per hectare exceeded that of the US and Europe, tripling the global average."
The 2013 environmental policy of china to combat the Air Pollution resulted in a 33 percent drop in Beijiing's PM2.5 levels, and 35 percent reduction in particulate matter concentration.
Building on its previous efforts, in 2018, China launched a three year action plan for winning the Blue Sky War. The plan aimed to reduce PM2.5 levels by 18 percent across the cities and tackled the ground level ozone- a pollutant formed when volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react with nitrogen oxides. It set a reduction target of 10 percent for VOCs and 15 percent for nitrogen oxides.
In 2018, China also build the world's largest air purifier, a 100 metre long tower in Xi'an. It resulted toi a 15 percent decrease in particulate matter in the city, as per reports.
However, according to an article by The Economist, while China reduced sulphur emissions to combat pollution, it unintentionally accelerated global warming.
As per the report, scientists believe that East and Southeast Asia, led by China, are now major contributors to decline the sulphate aerosols, which naturally help cool the Earth by reflecting sunlight and promoting cloud formation.