Abstract
Air pollution has large impacts on the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), affecting not just the health of people and ecosystems, but also climate, the cryosphere, monsoon patterns, water availability, agriculture, and incomes (established but incomplete). Although the available data are not comprehensive, they clearly show that the HKH receives significant amounts of air pollution from within and outside of the region, including the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), a region where many rural areas are severely polluted. In addition, the HKH receives trans-boundary pollution from other parts of Asia. This chapter surveys the evidence on regional air pollution and considers options for reducing it, while underlining the need for regional collaboration in mitigation efforts. As described in Chap. 1, the HKH region is fragile and rapidly changing; while the outcome of the interplay of complex drivers is difficult to predict, it will have major consequences. That holds true for air pollution as well.
Highlights
10 Air Pollution in the Hindu Kush Himalaya amplify the effects of greenhouse gases and accelerate the melting of the cryosphere through the deposition of black carbon and dust, the circulation of the monsoon, and the distribution of rainfall over Asia
The available data are not comprehensive, they clearly show that the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) receives significant amounts of air pollution from within and outside of the region, including the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), a region where many rural areas are severely polluted
The results show that black carbon (BC) was relatively constant until 1900, began to gradually increase, with a sharp rise beginning around 1960 with a 2.5-fold increase compared to the background level
Summary
Photographs of snowy peaks against blue skies can give the impression that the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) has pristine air quality. Days when such photographs can be taken are becoming increasingly rare. The dry period can be further divided into three separate seasons: winter (December–February), pre-monsoon (March– mid-June), and post-monsoon (October–November). Air pollution is very much a regional issue, with widespread haze extending across much of the urban and rural parts of the IGP and southern HKH foothills during the dry season
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