In this exclusive Earth Chakra podcast, host and journalist Chetan Bhattacharji sits down with IQAir Global CEO Frank Hammes to deconstruct the World Air Quality Report 2025, released in March '26. In the IQAir report, India ranked 6th globally, although it still dominates the top 100 cities and includes the world's most polluted place, Loni which borders Delhi.

Pakistan's monitoring improved, so its share in the global top 20 most polluted cities rose, while India's share fell. In 2025, IQAir monitored data from 18 places in Pakistan compared to 11 the previous year. Consequently, the number of Pakistani places in the top 20 most polluted global cities rose to 8, from 6, whereas India's share of cities in the top 20 fell from 11 to 9, thereby shifting the leaderboard. While India’s national PM2.5 average dipped by 3%, the regional rankings were also reshaped by a surge in data from across the border.

This shift highlights a critical reality: the "improvement" in rankings is often a reflection of where we choose to look. This trend is emblematic of the urgent need for expanded monitoring—not just in South Asia, but wherever coverage is thin, for example in Africa and West Asia. Be it high-grade monitors to low-cost sensors, we cannot manage what we do not measure. Key discussion points with Frank Hammes: The Monitoring Paradox: Why India having 66 of the top 100 most polluted cities is actually a sign of data leadership. The Top 20 Shift: How expanded monitoring in Pakistan is changing the regional pollution map. The Global Data Gap: Why the rise of low-cost sensors is the "silver lining" for underserved communities. New Delhi & Loni: Analysing why the world's most polluted capital and the #1 most polluted city (Loni) remain stuck in a toxic cycle. About IQAir pollution ranking: IQAir is a Swiss technology company that leverages a global monitoring network to provide transparent, real-time air quality data for public health. Its 8th annual World Air Quality Report analyzes PM2.5 trends across 143 countries, highlighting how expanded data coverage often reveals previously unrecorded pollution hotspots. Timestamps: 00:00 Top 3 Most Polluted Countries in 2025 00:27 South Asia Hotspots 00:54 India Air Quality Monitoring Paradox 02:08 Politics of Measuring 02:56 Bangkok Pollution Case Study 03:43 Citizen Science Basics 06:12 Trust and Data Quality 08:15 Israel, Iran War and Air Pollution 09:58 IQAir Plans for India 11:36 Participation and Wrap Up

Forget climate action for a moment - renewables beat coal on pure economics. Energy expert Alexander Hogaveen Rutter says that solar + wind + storage is ₹2-2.5 cheaper per unit than coal's true cost in India. But why don't you see this reflected in your electricity bill?

In this conversation, Alex breaks down why coal appears cheaper (spoiler: hidden subsidies), why you have voltage stabilisers at home (coal can't ramp up/down fast enough), and why diesel generators are so common in India but rare abroad. The uncomfortable truth? Coal's unreliability is being subsidised by diesel gensets, load shedding, and ultimately you - the taxpayer.

Delhi's air pollution has been stuck at around 100 μg/m³ (micrograms per metre cube) for 6 years. Whereas, Beijing dropped from 80 to 30 μg/m³ in about 15 years.

What's the difference? In this episode, Dr Sarath Guttikunda (Founder, Urban Emissions) reveals the data-driven pathway that could transform Delhi's air—and he's built a tool so you can model it yourself. Speaking to the host Chetan Bhattacharji, he shows how Delhi can bend the air pollution curve like Beijing did.

TRY THE POLLUTION PATHWAY TOOL: Download the interactive Excel tool: https://urbanemissions.info/wp-content/uploads/docs/SIM-63-2025.pdf

This tool models Delhi's path from 100 to 40 μg/m³ by 2040—sector by sector, intervention by intervention. Adjust sliders for vehicles, stubble burning, waste, and industry, and watch the pollution curve bend in real-time.

KEY FINDINGS FROM THE TOOL: -

Eliminating stubble burning alone barely improves Delhi's air quality - Beijing dropped from 80 to 30 μg/m³ in 15 years. Delhi can too - Multi-sector approach is essential (no single solution works) - Target: 40 μg/m³ by 2040 (from current 100 μg/m³) TOP 3 DELHI AIR POLLUTION

MYTHS DEBUNKED:

1. Stubble burning is the main problem ❌

2. One sector alone can fix it ❌

3. Quick fixes will work ❌

They discuss the scientific evidence showing that even lower levels of air pollutants pose significant health risks, citing research conducted across ten Indian cities over a decade.

Dr Prabhakaran emphasises the need to shift focus from AQI to PM 2.5 for a more accurate assessment of health risks. The conversation delves into the inadequacies of current air quality standards, the intricacies of pollutant measurement, and the urgent need for a multi-stakeholder approach to address air pollution effectively.

Dr Prabhakaran is Director, Centre for Health Analytics Research and Trends, Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University. She is also a Senior Research Scientist at the Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi.

He explains how political state boundaries fail to address air pollution and why airshed management could offer a more effective approach.

Dr Krishna describes the complexities of air movement and pollution sources, highlighting the severe pollution in regions like the Indo-Gangetic Plain. But he warns that other cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, etc are currently at risk despite lower levels of pollution compared to Delhi.

The conversation also covers effective air quality interventions from other countries, such as China's extensive measures led by the top leadership. It discusses the need for health-focused metrics in India's pollution control strategies. But can states cooperate to achieve cleaner air across India?