Air Pollution Control & Management Research in India

Clean Air

The Clean Air team at The Council works towards improving India’s air quality. With a focus on generating data and evidence to drive action and strengthen the capacity of state and local governments, we seek to support the implementation of India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Currently, our work programmes focus on the northern Indian regions of Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

The three pillars guiding our work are:

a) Data and integrated analysis: We collect and analyse information from myriad sources, including field surveys, regulatory monitors, satellites, scientific models and expert consultations to answer the following questions:

What’s polluting?
What’s impeding action?
How to catalyse action?

b) Technical assistance to state and local governments: We collaborate with government agencies to conceptualise and execute strategies to accelerate clean air action.

c) Strategic Outreach: We experiment with innovative outreach strategies to communicate our findings to key stakeholders — governments, businesses, civil society and citizens — to accelerate clean air action. For example, our monthly newsletter — On Air — dissects air quality data and analyses clean air policy in India

> INR 6800 crore
released to 131 non-attainment cities to implement clean air measures between 2019 and 2022
Source: CEEW compilation from the PRANA portal.
15-50%
of air pollution in cities can come from sources outside the city limits.
Source: CEEW analysis, 2020
~ 65%
of area under non-basmati paddy in Punjab can be managed without crop residue burning if farm implements are deployed at full capacity.
Source: CEEW analysis, 2021

Read about our work on Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS).

New in Clean Air

Tailoring Solid Waste Management in India:Learnings from Cities with a Million-plus Population

March, 2025 | Report

Unlocking India’s Circular Waste Economy Potential for Sustainability

December, 2024 | Paper

Improving India's Clean Cooking Fuel SupplyRecommendations to Enhance Last-mile LPG Accessibility

October, 2024 | Report

How can Punjab Increase the Adoption of Crop Residue Management Methods? Survey Insights from 11 Districts of the State

July, 2024 | Report

Assessing Effectiveness of India’s Industrial Emission Monitoring Systems

March, 2024 | Report

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The Kanpur Nagar Nigam has found a fantastic partner in CEEW to help the city achieve its objectives under the National Clean Air Plan. We commend the attention CEEW gives to details, and are grateful for the exemplary range of joint research opportunities that have surfaced in the course of our engagement with them.

SHIVASHARANAPPA G. N.

Municipal Commissioner, Kanpur Nagar Nigam
"CEEW's analysis and data insights on solving Delhi's pollution woes have become a go-to source for the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). Recently, CEEW supported DPCC in identifying hyperlocal pollution sources in two of Delhi's most polluted areas. DPCC will continue to look at CEEW's recommendations to help Delhi breathe better in the coming years."

Dr KS Jayachandran

Member Secretary, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).