Air pollution has become the leading health risk in Nepal, contributing to around 26,000 premature deaths each year. IIASA researchers provided scientific tools and analysis for a new World Bank report presenting the country’s first comprehensive clean air plan to address the problem.
The new report titled, Towards Clean Air in Nepal: Benefits, Pollution Sources, and Solutions, serves as a foundational assessment of air pollution in the country and the airshed of the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Himalayan Foothills. According to the authors, the Kathmandu Valley and the Terai are Nepal’s air pollution hotspots, with no significant improvement over the past decade. Air pollution reduces life expectancy by 3.4 years for the average Nepali and causes thousands of premature deaths annually. In addition to health, air pollution impacts labor productivity, tourism, and the aviation sector. The economic cost of poor air quality is equivalent to more than 6% of Nepal's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per year.
A key part of this report is the work carried out by IIASA using a version of its the Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) model tailored specifically for Nepal (GAINS-Nepal). This model was central to the analysis in the report, helping to identify the main sources of pollution, how pollutants spread across regions, and which control measures could be most effective and affordable.
To ensure that GAINS-Nepal reflected local realities, IIASA worked in close partnership with experts from Kathmandu University and Tribhuvan University. Together, they built detailed emissions inventories and assessed a range of strategies to reduce pollution while considering economic and social factors. The work is part of the Air Quality Management in the Indo-Gangetic Plain and Himalayan Foothills (GAINS-IGP-HF) project, led by IIASA researcher Pallav Purohit and coordinated by Pollution Management Research Group Leader, Zbigniew Klimont. In addition, several other colleagues from the Pollution Management Research Group contributed to this work, including Wolfgang Schoepp, Adriana Gomez-Sanabria, Gregor Kiesewetter, and Fabian Wagner.
“Implementing the recommendations in this report offers Nepal a clear path to significantly improve air quality, resulting in healthier lives, economic gains, and a more sustainable future. This marks Nepal’s first comprehensive clean air plan grounded in scientific modeling and developed in close partnership with national stakeholders,” says Klimont.
The report highlights several measures that could help reduce air pollution in Nepal:
“Nepal can achieve cleaner air and a healthier environment for all its citizens by implementing stricter pollution control regulations, improving public transportation, fostering green urban planning, encouraging the use of clean energy for cooking and heating, and educating the public about the dangers of open burning,” notes Purohit. “Collectively, these initiatives will create a healthier future for Nepal.”
The collaboration between IIASA and the World Bank provides Nepal with new tools and insights to address air pollution. The findings from GAINS-Nepal will help inform policies aimed at improving public health and supporting sustainable development in the country.
Further information
Read the full report