China slashed its air pollution levels in a decade – can India replicate its model?

Since 1980, China's air pollution has been severe, fuelled by the country's rapid economic growth and industrialisation. But since at least 1990, India's air pollution levels have surpassed China's: thick smog and haze disrupt life across North India every winter. In 2019, China had the highest number of preventable fatalities from pollution, at 1.42 million deaths. That year, India was close behind, with almost one million deaths. Together, the two countries accounted for 58% of global deaths in 2019 related to PM2.5 pollution or particulate matter or fine particle pollution. Both countries have enacted air pollution legislations. But China has…