Home
Council on Energy, Environment and Water Integrated | International | Independent
Life at CEEW

Theory of change

The theory of change for CABH project is that IF air pollution mitigation systems are strengthened AND IF air pollution exposure is reduced THEN the environment would be cleaner and the population healthier. However, at the core, our theory also focuses on enhancing the awareness and lived experience of communities facing poor air quality, with the aim to increase accountability of regulators and polluters and equally affect behaviour change in the choices that individuals make that increase or decrease their own contribution to air pollution.

Strengthening of air pollution mitigation in India will be contingent on the effectiveness of the regulatory regime in the country, capacity of the decision makers dealing with air quality challenges, understanding of available solutions for cleaning up polluting sectors and finally, consistent demand for clean air from informed citizen collectives. Improved air pollution mitigation supported by increased awareness of the impact of local air quality on public health, improved understanding of relationship between outdoor and indoor air quality and change in people’s behaviours towards air pollution will help reduce exposure to pollution.

Strategic Approach

The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in January 2019 is a national response to improve air quality in India. NCAP identified and targeted air quality improvement in 131 non-aligned cities (NAC) that did not meet the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) between 2011 and 2015. Its emphasis is on comprehensive mitigation actions beyond the NACs to also include transboundary pollution sources. NCAP has set an ambitious target – 40 per cent reduction in particulate matter (PM) by 2026. By providing an overarching national framework, the NCAP has given an impetus to air quality action across the country.

CABH’s strategic approach is to create evidence-based, result-oriented solutions for air quality management. It aims to build a community of practice to implement the solutions at scale for accelerating particulate matter reduction in India.

The project is fronting several interventions across sectors in multiple geographies to:
Enable monitoring and regulatory reforms and promote innovations in managing emissions (household and ambient air pollution)
Enhance use and integration of data by creating new evidence to map source contributions, especially to inform health and policy-relevant assessments
Elevate transitions to clean fuel consumption through interventions to reduce emissions at source across sectors (transport, industry, construction, households)
Equip institutions and build capacity of decision-makers to use evidence-based approaches to AQM
Empower citizens by mainstreaming AQ issue among communities and health practitioners who lack awareness and agency to take preventive action

Impact

98%

reduction in PM2.5 from piloted clean energy technology adoption in 150 MSME units

40%

reduction in PM2.5 at pilot construction site by institutionalising self-regulatory monitoring regime

5

State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) with improved capacities on implementation of legal and judicial decisions

80%

of the households sustain use of LPG, resulting in 38% reduction in PM2.5 per year through improved access

7,500

E-vehicles adopted leading to reduction of 6.2 tonnes of PM2.5 and 471.4 tonnes of NOx

12

Active Clean Air Action Hubs in non-attainment cities to empower communities on AQM

14

sentinel surveillance sites strengthened for reporting disease data attributed to poor AQ through capacity building of health sector

7

Buildings adopt established protocols on monitoring and management of indoor air quality by advancing healthy buildings design and retrofit.

17%

reduction in emissions from waste burning through improved solid waste management

10%

reduction in poor or worse days in Thane city through the model of Decision Support System

Donor

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the US government’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results across the world. USAID works to help lift lives, build communities, and advance democracy. Its work advances US national security and economic prosperity, demonstrates American generosity, and helps countries with their development journey. In India, USAID is collaborating with the country’s growing human and financial resources through partnerships that catalyse innovation and entrepreneurship to solve critical local and global development challenges.

USAID’s air quality programming aims to mitigate and reduce ambient and household air pollution to reduce adverse health impacts, advance climate change mitigation and adaptation, and promote inclusive, sustainable development. It is supporting the Cleaner Air and Better Health (CABH) project to enable and frame policies and programmes to match the needs of target populations, with a focus on gender inclusion.

The Consortium


Life at CEEW

CEEW

The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) is one of Asia’s leading not-for-profit policy research institutions and among the world’s top climate think tanks. The Council uses data, integrated analysis, and strategic outreach to explain — and change — the use, reuse, and misuse of resources. The CABH project consortium is led by the Council which is focusing on emissions mitigation, market based approaches and nudge experiments and overall project management.

Life at CEEW

EDS

Environmental Design Solutions (EDS), a sustainability advisory firm focusing on the built environment, has a wide range of experience in the design, development, and implementation of large-scale programmes both in terms of project investments as well as bundled initiatives for energy efficiency and climate change measures. For the CABH project, EDS is leading on improving indoor air quality (IAQ) by developing protocols for monitoring and management of IAQ, and a real-time dashboard while building capacities of decision makers to use evidence-based approaches for reducing exposure to indoor air pollution.

Life at CEEW

Asar

Asar Social Impact Advisors is a start up in the social and environmental impact space in India. Asar’s focus is the climate challenge and opportunity facing India today and their solutions are predicated on the understanding that the systemic and transformative changes required can only be catalysed by collaborative problem solving. For CABH project, Asar plays the role of a backbone organisation for the Clean Air Collective, the largest collaborative network of civil society organisations across states in India.

Life at CEEW

Vital Strategies

Vital Strategies believes every person should be protected by an equitable and effective public health system. Vital partners with governments, communities and organisations around the world to reimagine public health so that health is supported in all the places we live, work and play. The result is millions of people living longer, healthier lives.

Life at CEEW

ELDF

Enviro-Legal Defence Firm (ELDF) is India’s first environmental law firm, and has dealt with multiple landmark environmental cases, including on air pollution that have shaped the legal discourse on air quality management across India. ELDF leads the CABH project consortium as the legal arm and is engaged in identifying regulatory reforms, and developing a comprehensive legal structure to support pollution control boards.

Contact

Soumitri Das

Team Lead (Environment)

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

[email protected]

Om Prakash Singh

Chief of Party, CABH Project

Council on Energy, Environment and Water

[email protected]

Reethira Kumar

Senior Communications Specialist, CABH Project

Council on Energy, Environment and Water

[email protected]