Air pollution causes as many as one million deaths every year in South Asia, while cleaner air could improve the lives of nearly one billion people across the region, according to a new World Bank report released on December 15.

The report finds that air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic Plains and Himalayan Foothills (IGP-HF) is one of South Asia’s most severe development challenges, leading to major losses in health and productivity. Economic losses linked to pollution are estimated at nearly 10 per cent of the region’s gross domestic product each year.

Titled “A Breath of Change: Solutions for Cleaner Air in the Indo-Gangetic Plains and Himalayan Foothills,” the report focuses on a region that spans parts of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan. It identifies five main sources of air pollution: household use of solid fuels for cooking and heating; inefficient burning of fossil fuels and biomass by industries without proper filtration; inefficient internal combustion vehicles; crop residue burning and poor management of fertilizers and manure in agriculture; and the burning of waste by households and firms.

According to the World Bank, a limited number of coordinated actions across sectors and jurisdictions could significantly reduce pollution, improve public health and support stronger economic growth. The report highlights practical and scalable solutions, including electric cooking, electrification and modernization of industrial boilers and kilns, non-motorized and electric transport systems, improved crop residue and livestock waste management, and better waste segregation, recycling and disposal.

Clean-air strategies are grouped into three interconnected areas. The first focuses on abatement solutions that cut emissions at their source in sectors such as cooking, industry, transport, agriculture and waste management. The second emphasizes protection measures to strengthen health and education systems so children and vulnerable communities are safeguarded during the transition to cleaner air. The third calls for strong institutions supported by regulatory frameworks, market-based instruments and regional cooperation to sustain long-term progress.

“Solutions are within reach,” said Martin Heger, Senior Environmental Economist at the World Bank, noting that the report offers a practical roadmap for policymakers to implement coordinated and evidence-based measures at scale. He added that there are strong financial and economic reasons for enterprises, households and farmers to adopt cleaner technologies, and for governments to support these efforts.

Ann Jeannette Glauber, World Bank Practice Manager for Environment in South Asia, said achieving cleaner air will require continued collaboration, sustained financing and strong implementation at local, national and regional levels. Acting together, she said, governments can reduce pollution, save millions of lives and deliver cleaner air across the region.