Introducing the CSTEP Air Quality sector

Air quality can be improved through well-designed air quality management plans that are effectively implemented. For this, we need to know the sources impacting a certain location; the emissions contributed by each source; the interventions that can reduce these emissions; the cost of those interventions; and once implemented, their effectiveness. The sources in question can be local (e.g., city traffic emissions), transboundary (e.g., an industry outside a city or sources in another state), or natural (e.g., desert dust or wildfires). To develop air quality management plans and track their progress, we use emissions inventories, techno-economic assessments, air quality modelling, source apportionment, and air quality monitoring.

The Centre for Air Pollution Studies (CAPS) was formed at CSTEP in 2018. Since then, we have carried out several important projects. These include:

· Development of high-resolution emissions inventory for about 80 non-attainment/million-plus cities in India, with techno-economic analysis to identify key mitigation measures.

· Evidence generation for city-level and state-wide air quality management through low-cost sensor deployments, mobile monitoring of on-road air pollution, and source apportionment using filter-based particulate matter (PM) chemical speciation.

· Development of city-level and state-level clean air action plans.

Recognising the growing importance of scientific, data-driven air quality management for achieving the goal of clean air for all in India, CAPS was expanded into the new Air Quality sector in July 2023. The sector comprises three groups: Policy Development and Assessment, Atmospheric Composition Modelling, and Atmospheric Composition Observations.