Pollution vs Climate Change: Hazardous AQI Across India--Is It Accelerating Global Warming? | Skymet Podcast EP-58

In this episode of the Skymet Podcast, AVM (Retd.) G.P. Sharma, President – Meteorology & Climate Change at Skymet, explains the science of air pollution and its complex relationship with climate change in simple, accessible terms.

Large parts of North India, particularly Punjab, Haryana, Delhi-NCR, and Uttar Pradesh, are currently among the most polluted regions in the country, with AQI levels persistently in the ‘Severe’ to ‘Hazardous’ category. Forecasting pollution remains a major challenge as it depends on multiple weather factors such as wind patterns, temperature, cloud cover, and rainfall.

The episode explores how pollution particles influence solar short-wave radiation and Earth’s long-wave radiation. Due to heavy aerosol loading over regions like South Asia, increased reflection leads to a temporary cooling effect, resulting in a relatively lower contribution to global warming compared to greenhouse gases.

However, while aerosols may slightly offset warming, their impact on human health is severe—contributing to asthma, COPD, lung diseases, cardiovascular issues, and nervous system disorders.