2024: Delhi at risk of losing its long term air quality gains

January 06, 2025

Anumita Roychowdhury and Sharanjeet Kaur

Lead analyst: Sharanjeet Kaur Center for Science and Environment, New Delhi, January 6, 2025.

At the onset of the new year, the assessment of the annual trend in PM2.5 during 2024 shows persistent and consistent rise for the second consecutive year since 2022. This cannot be seen as an annual aberration due to meteorological factors. Consistent rise indicates the impact of growing pollution in the region.

The annual PM2.5 concentration has increased to 104.7 µg/m³ in 2024, - a 3.4 per cent rise from 2023 and this is more than twice the national ambient air quality standard of 40 µg/m³. The PM2.5 levels have increased after consistent decline and stabilisation between 2018 and 2022.