India's air quality 'filthy' despite decline in energy consumption

Per capita energy consumption in the country was up just 1.2% in 2019, slowest in 18 years

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump described India’s air quality as “filthy”, contrasting it with his country’s “superior” air quality. Ironically, the accusation comes at a time when energy consumption here has slowed and could decline the first time in two decades this year, on per capita basis, because of the fall in economic activity.

The burning of fossil fuel, including coal for power generation and use of petroleum products in transport, is a major source of air pollution in India.

Consumption of petroleum products was down nearly 19 per cent year-on-year (YoY) during April-September, according to the Ministry of Petroleum and