Public awareness key to curbing pollution

As economic opportunities and the lure of modern lifestyle draw people to cities, the global trend of urbanization continues unabated even though the systems to support the consumption patterns of today's urban dwellers are strained by overburdened infrastructure and fiscal limitations. The result: traffic congestions, degraded waterways and air pollution. And Asian countries, especially China and India, face immense challenges to solve these problems and provide clean air to their citizens.

In 2018, India had 22 of the world's 30 most polluted cities and China five, with Bangladesh and Pakistan accounting for the other three. Which shows urban air pollution is primarily an Asian problem, and the challenges are regionally widespread.

With sufficient resources and nationwide policy coordination, China can set an example for the region. Like all rapidly growing countries, China has struggled to balance environmental sustainability with economic growth. In May this year, China intensified its anti-pollution efforts by deploying almost 1,000 inspectors to 25 cities, targeting violations of water quality and waste management norms.