Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) 2025 Report by EPIC

Air Quality Life Index:Prepared by: The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC)
Report Year: 2025 (based on 2023 data) .

What the Report Reveals

• Global Trends:
  • In 2023, global PM₂.₅ concentrations rose by 1.5% compared to 2022 and remain nearly five times higher than the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³ .
  • Air pollution remains the greatest external threat to human health, rivaling tobacco and far exceeding other risks like alcohol, transport injuries, HIV/AIDS, and unsafe water .
  • If PM₂.₅ were reduced to WHO levels, the world could gain approximately 1.9 years of average life expectancy, equating to 15.1 billion life years saved.
• Regional Highlight.
• South Asia remains the most polluted region, with PM₂.₅ levels rising 2.8% in 2023 after a dip in 2022 .
• Wildfires in Canada triggered the worst air quality since records began (1998), while parts of the U.S. experienced their highest PM₂.₅ levels since 2011
• India-Specific Findings:
• Indian residents lose an average of 3.5 years of life expectancy due to particulate pollution—far more than other health threats like malnutrition or unsafe water .
• Monitoring Gaps:
  • While air quality monitoring has improved globally—with 85% of people now covered by government data—5.5 billion people still lack meaningful access.
  • Many countries have fewer than three monitors per million people, the minimal recommended standard.

Why This Matters (Exam Relevance)

• Prelims:
  • Key terms: AQLI, PM₂.₅, WHO guideline, life expectancy impact.
  • Data points: Global rise in pollution, India losing 3.5 years, Delhi-NCR losing 8.2 years.
• Mains (GS Paper 3 – Environment & Health):
  • Discuss how quantitative indices like AQLI help understand policy implications of air pollution.
  • Use India’s data to illustrate public health challenges, urban pollution hotspots, and policy efficacy.
  • Evaluate initiatives like the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), CAQM, and emission standards in context with AQLI findings.