An integrated strategy for urban air quality management in India

Abstract

An integrated strategy for urban Air Quality Management adopts a hierarchical approach – graduating from micro to macro-level management of the problem. The paper provides a conceptual framework, and analyses it in the Indian context through energy-environment modelling and local-level studies. The key insights from the analysis are: • technology transfers from developed countries promote environmentally sustainable development • conjoint markets for greenhouse gas and local pollutant mitigation optimises costs and generates co-benefits • a mixed policy regime, including market instruments, is preferable to pure technology-push policies as it can deliver technology-equivalent benefits at lower costs • an independent environment regulatory authority would reduce risks of institutional failures and lower transaction costs.