Back to news
9 Apr 2019 | Atmosphere Initiative

Air pollution research into use

1 min Read

70% Complete

ICIMOD responds to key research questions at the local to regional level, generating highly technical air pollution-related data in a historically data-scarce region. The data that is generated is shared with relevant entities to inform policies and action that can impact the lives of millions. This research-into-use approach contributes to long-term efforts to mitigate and reduce harmful emissions in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). Numerous peer-reviewed articles have been published on a wide range of atmospheric issues with broad scientific and policy implications in the HKH. For example, “Air Quality Trends of the Kathmandu Valley: A Satellite, Observation and Modeling Perspective” recorded for the first time the increasing trends of background pollution (air pollution carried over from elsewhere) based on the Valley’s local columnar aerosol loading trend. Further, “Characterizing Emissions from Agricultural Diesel Pumps in the Terai Region of Nepal” presented estimates on diesel irrigation pumps as an under-represented source of ambient air pollution.

Rapid increases in air pollution in the HKH have far-reaching and hazardous consequences on environmental and human health and lead to the accelerated melting of glaciers and changing atmospheric circulation patterns. Such changes ultimately affect aviation, mountain tourism, agriculture, and the health and livelihoods of the poorest.

Background pollution adds around 25% of aerosol load to the Kathmandu Valley.
Valley aerosol loading increased by ~60% between 2000 and 2015.

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

RELATED CONTENTS

Continue exploring this topic

28 May 2013 HICAP
Scoping mission to Assam, India for place-based study on Food Security and Gender

A scoping mission with a team from Aaranyak led by Suman Bisht and Sarah Nischalke from ICIMOD visited five villages in Tinsukia ...

25 Apr 2016 News
A Landslide Report: Bringing Key Stakeholders Together to Reduce Nepal’s Landslide Disaster Risks

A year has now passed since the devastating earthquake in Nepal and it continues to struggle with enormous challenges of ...

Bucking the trend: Glaciers in Astore Basin have remained stable in recent times

Ground-based research results showed much lesser mass loss compared with that detected through remote sensing, with remarkably low uncertainty. The ...

26 Jul 2018 News
ICIMOD-Bhutan Partnership Day Celebrated

Prior to the board meeting, participants traveled to Haa and inaugurated an air quality monitoring station at Chelela. Dasho Rinzin Dorji, ...

15 Nov 2016 News
New Publication: Climate Change Impacts on Upper Indus Basin Hydrology

The Indus is one of the most meltwater-dependent rivers on earth. It hosts a large, rapidly growing population, and the ...

13 Jan 2017 Atmosphere Initiative
ICIMOD Developing Better Tools for Analyzing Air Pollution

Technology for analyzing and addressing air pollution is evolving. New tools are currently in development that can collect better data ...

20 Mar 2015 News
Consolidating the Himalaya-Third Pole Circle

Initiating and sustaining dialogue and collaboration on the challenges of climate change was at the heart of the ...

15 Apr 2015 News
Countries endorse post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction

A post-2015 Disaster Risk Reduction Framework that aims to reduce ‘substantially’ the global disaster mortality and the number of people ...