Climate change and pollution: India faces a dual challenge, say experts

At the Mint Sustainability Summit 2025, experts said India's worsening air pollution is inseparable from the challenges of climate change; tackling both will require urgent, science-driven interventions.

- Abirami Sekar

"Out of 30 cities most polluted in the world, 21 are in India," said Suruchi Bhadwal, director, climate change and air quality at Teri. "We are living in cities that are highly polluted, with impacts we may not realize because we breathe the air in and out."

She said the health effects remain unspoken, since people end up in hospitals or medical centres, paying for themselves. This, she said, is not just an individual or household burden but also a strain on the public exchequer, which must maintain hospitals, manage such problems, and treat infections. "I think it is a big challenge that needs to be addressed," she said.