Protecting forests among most effective solutions to pollution, climate change: Bhupender Yadav

Speaking at the India TV ‘Pollution Ka Solution Conclave’, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav underlined that protecting and expanding India’s forest cover is one of the most effective ways to tackle pollution and climate change simultaneously.

Emphasising collective responsibility, Yadav said sustained efforts in forest conservation are essential to building cleaner, greener and climate-resilient cities.

Understanding PM and AQI

Explaining how air quality is measured, the Environment Minister said PM2.5 includes harmful gases and particles such as carbon compounds, ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and methane, while PM10 mainly refers to dust particles present in the atmosphere. These components are averaged to calculate the Air Quality Index (AQI).

Human activities major source of pollution

Yadav pointed out that pollution is largely driven by human activities. Fuel consumption, he said, is a major contributor as it produces the highest carbon emissions. Vehicle and industrial emissions, along with construction, demolition and dust, are also significant sources of pollution.

While noting that India has made strong progress in renewable energy, the minister stressed that the country’s priorities should be clear: “First, save energy; second, save water; and third, ensure food security.”

He also urged citizens, especially in the Delhi-NCR region, to act responsibly by keeping their surroundings clean and avoiding indiscriminate dumping of garbage.

Delhi AQI and regional coordination

Addressing concerns over Delhi’s air quality, Yadav said it is unfair to assess the capital’s pollution in isolation. He highlighted that Delhi’s air quality is closely linked with neighbouring states—Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh—particularly within the NCR, which includes eight municipal corporations such as Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Manesar and Alwar.

“These regions are interconnected, and pollution control requires coordinated action,” he said, adding that this is why the government has put in place a dedicated mechanism through the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to ensure better coordination and implementation of pollution-control measures across the NCR.