More than two decades after the passage of the Clean Air Act of 1999, the country closes Clean Air Month with preparations for COP 28 at Dubai, United Arab Emirates. After more than two decades, the majority of key air pollutant parameters under the national air quality standards have remained stagnant. There have been no updates for more stringent standards to reflect the ever changing context of the country’s landscape and the health implications to frontline communities. Similarly, the country’s commitments are experiencing a similar stagnation. Commitments to the Paris agreement remain unreflected in its energy policies despite the urgent need to align to the 1.5°C Paris ambition, a challenge that must be addressed as nations meet in Dubai. 

A complete phase-out of coal and fossil gas is cost-effective, sustainable, practical – and above all, it is necessary in mitigating air pollution and in honoring 1.5°C as the threshold for limiting global temperature rise by the end of the century. The proliferation of fossil fuels like coal and gas are problematic from various perspectives already; impact on electricity prices, dependence on imported fossil fuels, and impact on the environment. Given the climate imperative and the implications of reliance on fossil fuels, these sources are not the solution to the longstanding issues of the energy sector. The findings of this report further sheds light on the implications of heavy reliance on fossil fuels, specifically focusing on impacts on air quality, and subsequently the health of frontline communities foremost vulnerable to the climate crisis.

Air pollution adds on to the mounting pressure on the environment and frontline communities. These communities, already vulnerable and disproportionately disadvantaged, are forced to grapple with the increased risk posed to their health and natural resources, which are both closely intertwined with their lives and livelihoods, and their already few means of escaping poverty traps. These existing conditions, therefore, highlight the importance of air quality standards in saving lives and preventing the degradation of natural resources.