AIR POLLUTION

IN PAKISTAN AND ITS RELATIONSHIP

WITH CLIMATE CHANGE

Dr. Abdul-Sattar Nizami

Sustainable Development Study Center (SDSC)
Government College University, Lahore
Senior Editor, Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews - Elsevier (IF 16.8)
for Bioenergy, Waste to Energy, and Biomass
 Air Pollution : Overview
 Air pollution is a global concern that affects health,
ecosystems, and climate, requiring international
collaboration.
 Pakistan faces significant challenges related to air pollution
due to rapid urbanization and certain industrial practices,
making it one of the most affected regions.
 The relationship between air pollution and climate change is
complex.
 Air pollution can contribute to climate abnormalities, while
changes in climate patterns can worsen pollution levels,
creating a feedback loop. 2
 Pakistani Context

 There are many kinds of pollutants. Some are visible,

like smoke, while others can't be seen, like gases.
 The top pollutants in Pakistan include tiny dust and
dirt particles (called particulate matter), and gases like
sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide.
 There's also ozone, a gas that's good high up in our
sky but not good when it's down close to the ground.
 In Pakistan, it sometimes reaches unhealthy levels,
especially in cities.
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 Health Impacts
 Air pollution ranked as the top environmental and
occupational factor for deaths and disabilities in 2017.
 22,000 premature deaths annually.

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 Transportation's Role

 Average annual growth rate for on-road vehicles:

8.5%.
 A vehicle in Pakistan produces significantly higher
pollutants per kilometer than a vehicle from the US.

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Challenges in Air Pollution Management

Lack of awareness among stakeholders.

Use of biomass fuel with poor ventilation.

Significant health impact on women and

children.
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Monitoring Challenges

Pakistan's rank
among the most
polluted countries.

Lack of continuous
monitoring stations.

Need for consistent

monitoring to
establish a baseline.

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Air Pollution and Climate Change

 Aerosols: Tiny particles that reflect sunlight, causing

cooling.
 Black Carbon: Dark particles that make ice melt
faster by absorbing heat.
 Greenhouse Gases: Gases that trap heat, warming
the planet.
 Balance of Effects: Some pollutants cool, others
warm, but warming is currently dominant.

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Effective Air Quality Management in
Pakistan

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SMOG
SOURCES
TYPES
IMPACTS
REMEDIES
 Basic Terminology - Smog

o Fog or haze intensified by smoke or other

atmospheric pollutants.
o The term "smog" was first used in the early
1900s to describe a mix of smoke and fog.
o Smog is also used to describe the type of fog
that has smoke or soot in it.
o Smog that occurs mainly because of air
pollution can also be defined as a mixture of
various gases with dust and water vapor. 13
Emissions from non-road vehicles
like planes, ships and trains,
industries, and even small
businesses and households.
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) from motor
vehicles, power plants, furnaces
and turbines.
Sources of
Carbon monoxide (CO) from motor Smog
vehicles.

Fine particulates (NOx, SOx) from

burning, the air out of nitrogen
oxides and sulfur oxides.
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Great Smog of London -1952

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Eastern China Smog - 2013

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Lahore Smog – 2015 to …..

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 Types of Smog
Classical Smog Photochemical Smog
Formed in an area with high • It is the haze that is created
water vapors and high level of when sunlight reach with
sulfurous emissions. primary pollutants like
The sulfurous dissolve into nitrogen oxides and VOCs.
water droplets to form • The reaction of VOCs and
sulfurous acid in the Nitrogen dioxide in the
atmosphere, while coal soot presence of sunlight produces
darkens the sky. secondary pollutant such as
This is also referred to as the ozone, CO, hydrocarbons and
London smog or sulfurous aldehydes.
smog. • Photochemical smog is an issue
The color of this smog is in large cities around the world
darkish brown. like Beijing, Los Angeles etc. 22
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 Impacts of Smog
The impacts of smog includes health impacts and socio-economic
impacts that are:

Health Impacts
o Tb
o Asthma
o Chronic obstructive disease
o Acute upper respiratory disease
o Heart diseases
o Burning eyes
o Throat irritation
o Breathing difficulties

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 Impacts of Smog
The impacts of smog includes health impacts and socio-economic
impacts that are:

Socio-Economic Impacts
o Industry closure
o School closure
o Brik Kiln closure
o Indirect impacts
o Health expenditure
o Education loss

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Smog and Lahore
After 2016 smog is considered as the 5th season in
Lahore

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 Lahore Air Quality Index

 PM2.5 concentration in Lahore is currently 44.7 times

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the WHO annual air quality guideline value
Day and night average concentrations of PM2.5 (ug/m3) measured in Lahore
during the period of 2019-2020. Air quality indices for day and night times
are depicted by Pie charts. 29
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Before After

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 Winter Days:
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
AQI= 145 AQI=188 AQI= 154 AQI=117 AQI=155 AQI=163 AQI= 120
Category= UHS Category=UH Category=UH Category=UHS Category=UH Category=UH Category=UHS
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
AQI=197 AQI= 49 AQI= 66 AQI= 14 AQI= AQI= AQI=
Category=UH Category=G Category=M Category=G Category= Category= Category=
29 30 1 2 3 4 5
AQI= AQI= AQI=190 AQI= 106 AQI= 162 AQI= 111 AQI= 79
Category= Category= Category=UH Category=UHS Category=UH Category=UHS Category=M
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
AQI= 110 AQI= 148 AQI= 92 AQI= 37 AQI= AQI= AQI=
Category=UHS Category=UHS Category=M Category=G Category= Category= Category=
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
AQI= AQI=219 AQI= 222 AQI= 180 AQI= 156 AQI= 135 AQI= 109
Category= Category=VUH Category=VUH Category=UH Category=UH Category=UHS Category=UHS
27 28 29 30 31 1 2
AQI= 36 AQI= 24 AQI= 101 AQI= 112 AQI= 142 AQI=121 AQI=40
Category=G Category=G Category=UHS Category=UHS Category=UHS Category=UHS Category=G
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
AQI= 50 AQI= 99 AQI= 234 AQI= 189 AQI= AQI= AQI=
Category=G Category=M Category=VUH Category=UH Category= Category= Category=
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
AQI= AQI= AQI=169 AQI= 108 AQI= 66 AQI= 80 AQI= 29
Category= Category= Category=UH Category=UHS Category=M Category=M Category=G
17 18 19 20 21 22 22
AQI= 31 AQI= 92 AQI= 104 AQI= 111 AQI= 85 AQI= 122 AQI= 54
Category=G Category=M Category=UHS Category=UHS Category=M Category=UHS Category=M
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
AQI= 92 AQI= AQI= AQI= AQI= AQI=143 AQI= 139
Category=M Category= Category= Category= Category= Category=UHS Category=UHS
27 28 29 30 31 1 2
AQI= 86 AQI= 82 AQI= 109 AQI= 84 AQI= 65 AQI=138 AQI= 107
Category=M Category=M Category=UHS Category=M Category=M Category=UHS Category=UHS
3 4 5 6 Note:
AQI= 101 AQI= 103 AQI= 86 AQI= 61 UH=Unhealthy M=Moderate G=Good
Category=UHS Category=UHS Category=M Category=M UHS=Unhealthy for sensitive group VHS= Very Unhealthy
The prominent sources of aerosols in Pakistan are seasonal biomass-
burning, smoke and dust storms in addition to industrial and
vehicular activities
Aerosol optical depth (AOD) is a dimensionless quantity that estimate
the amount of aerosols.

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o Conserve energy at home, at work, everywhere
o Consider purchasing products with having “ENERGY STAR”
label
o Carpool, use public transport
o Avoid products that release high levels of VOCs
o Create community awareness to stop such activities that produce
smog
o Convert industries to eco technology (zigzag technology in brick
kilns)

SMOG REMEDIES – Large Scale

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SMOG REMEDIES – Individual
Level

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Recommendations
o Effective pollution control techniquessuch as
alternative fuels, improved combustion
technologies and catalytic converters is highly
encouraged.
o Effectivemedia campaigns for educating the
general public and other stakeholders, to improve
their understanding and raising air quality
concerns.
o Pakistan’s air quality management lacks the
effective air quality monitoring network. Setting up
proper air quality monitoring stations around
major cities of the country and incorporating early
warning and management approaches is
recommended. 36
Recommendations
o The establishment of an emission inventories and
baseline studies for various cities in Pakistan is
strongly recommended.
o Indo-Pak Smog commission

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Thank You So Much

Email: nizami_pk@yahoo.com
asnizami@gcu.edu.pk

Website: https://abdulsattarnizami.academia.edu/

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