Air Pollution in India: Ramanathan Climate Conversation 2025

Poor air quality remains one of the most pressing environmental and public health challenges in India. Driven by emissions from vehicle exhaust and agricultural practices like crop residue burning, air pollution poses significant risks to human health and contributes to climate change. While certain pollutants can have localized cooling effects, greenhouse gases contribute to warming on a global scale. With Indian cities such as Delhi ranking among the most polluted in the world, gaining a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics between air pollution, human health, and climate change is critical for improving global health outcomes and addressing climate change. This conversation will explore the drivers and impacts of air pollution in India, with a special focus on agricultural practices, and actions that are being taken to address public health concerns.

The fourth annual Ramanathan Climate Conversation will take place at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego on September 29 as a part of RamFest 2025, a symposium dedicated to Professor Veerabhadran Ramanathan. Registration for in-person attendance will be made available in August.

Recognizing that climate change is a global challenge that requires global solutions, Climate Conversations: Pathways to Action webinars on Climate Sustainability in South and East Asia in honor of V. Ramanathan focus on Asia while aiming to identify pathways to action relevant to viewers and policymakers around the world. They are annual webinars in honor of National Academy of Sciences member Veerabhadran “Ram” Ramanathan, and are made possible through the generous support provided by Sunanda Basu. They are a part of the Climate Conversations: Pathways to Action monthly webinar series, which aims to convene high-level, cross-cutting, nonpartisan conversations about issues relevant to policy action on climate change.