The programme would also develop an integrated pollutant and a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory system to provide a comprehensive approach to tracking and managing emissions data.
This smog season, AQI levels exceeding 1,000 have become routine, with Multan even breaching the 2,000 mark. Hospitals are overflowing with patients suffering from respiratory ailments, their numbers a stark testament to the invisible enemy in the air.
Cities like Stockholm, Kigali, and Bengaluru offer examples of successful waste management strategies that have drastically reduced open waste burning. These cities demonstrate that change is possible with strong political will, effective policies, and public engagement.
The UN appeal comes at a moment when humanitarian funding is already stretched by multiple crises. While CERF has provided rapid support, broader donor commitments remain insufficient relative to the scale of projected need.
South Asia’s lead crisis is not inevitable. Experience elsewhere demonstrates that decisive regulation, industrial formalisation and community-level interventions can sharply reduce exposure.
The UN appeal comes at a moment when humanitarian funding is already stretched by multiple crises. While CERF has provided rapid support, broader donor commitments remain insufficient relative to the scale of projected need.