This article analyzes road transport in India to explore linkages between air pollution and climate change policies in the transportation sector. Five teams modeled five policy scenarios – fuel efficiency, electrification, alternative fuels, modal shifts, and moderation in transport demand – to explore which policy brings the largest synergetic effects in reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions. The teams also modeled the comprehensive scenario which included policy measures from individual scenarios.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019, with the aim to improve air-quality levels in non-attainment cities. NCAP has identified 122 non-attainment cities (cities that violate the national ambient air quality standards). Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka state, is one of the non-attainment cities. In this context, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has put forth action points for reducing the air-pollution levels in the city.

Mini-grids (MG) — the small power stations that are scaled-down versions of city power grids — are today recognised for their role in bringing reliability to power supply. They are also known for their inherent ability to utilise the abundant renewable energy (RE) present in India, and for providing a controllable and independent energy-service option to consumers. Mini-grids are crucial for creating a national-level distributed grid system too.

Growing air pollution poses a serious health risk in India. The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in 2019, with the target to reduce particulate matter concentration level by 20-30% in several non-attainment cities in India. These non-attainment cities do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Bengaluru has been identified as one of the non-attainment cities of India under NCAP.

The Indian power ministry recently mandated periodic energy accounting to reduce electricity losses for distribution companies (DISCOMs). This move will help identify areas of high transmission and distribution (T&D) losses and theft and enable corrective action. It will also provide detailed information about electricity consumption by different consumer categories and will make DISCOM officials accountable for any losses and/or thefts falling under their purview.

Electric buses (e-buses) offer a more efficient, cleaner, and quieter alternative to the diesel buses currently run in Indian cities. The country has a target of deploying 5,595 e-buses by 2024 (sanctioned under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles scheme [FAME]).

Post the NDC commitments under the Paris Agreement in 2015, India has been promoting RE, but the increase in non-fossil-fuel-based electricity generation between 2015 and 2020 has been only 3.2%.

AMRUT 2.0, launched by the Indian Prime Minister on 1 October 2021, focuses on making all urban centres in the country water secure. Promoting a circular economy through a ‘City Water Balance Plan’, focusing on recycling and reuse of treated sewage, rejuvenation of water bodies, and water conservation are some of the key goals of this mission.

Energy is central to almost every challenge we face today — security, climate change, food production, or job creation. Access to electricity brings concrete health benefits, besides an evident improvement in wellbeing. For the emerging economies in the Global South, universal access to energy can result in improvement in various areas. Among them are education, health, and productivity.