India’s growth offers a chance to shift from coal to clean energy: Lancet Countdown Exec Director

New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) India’s growing economy and technological capabilities offer a unique chance to shift from coal to cheaper and cleaner renewables, a top official of the Lancet Countdown said, urging stronger government investment in renewable energy access to cut pollution deaths in India.

Speaking to PTI Videos in an exclusive interview, the Executive Director of the Lancet Countdown, Marina Belen Romanello, said there is a considerable scope for action when it comes to transitioning to renewable energy, emphasising that these measures would also bring significant health benefits for the citizens.

“India is particularly well positioned to lead this transition, given its emergence as a technology hub and its advanced capabilities in local engineering and technological innovation. Shifting from coal, which is both expensive and highly polluting, to clean, renewable energy will require substantial investment and strong government support,” Romanello told PTI.

She further noted that the Indian government’s efforts aimed at expanding access to renewable energy is a critical step forward, but it must be further strengthened and adequately funded to achieve its full potential.

Human-caused PM2.5 pollution was responsible for more than 17 lakh deaths in India in 2022 -- up by 38 per cent since 2010 -- with use of fossil fuels contributing to 44 per cent of the deaths, according to a global report published by The Lancet journal.

Use of petrol for road transport contributed to 2.69 lakh deaths, the '2025 Report of The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change' said.

The Lancet Countdown is an international, multidisciplinary collaboration, hosted by University College London, and works with about 300 leading researchers from around the world to track and understand the evolving links between climate change and people’s health.

When asked how these mortality estimates were calculated, Romanello stated that the methodologies combine measured data -- reflecting how much pollution can be detected in different parts of the world -- with information about pollution sources, such as the proportion of road travel powered by fossil fuels, the extent of household energy derived from burning solid fuels, and other human activities contributing to air pollution levels.

“All of this information is integrated into a comprehensive global model that simulates the atmosphere and the movement of particles in the air,” Romanello told PTI, adding that the methodologies used are among the most advanced globally for assessing local air pollution.

The methods allow them to generate detailed estimates of local air pollution, even in regions lacking robust monitoring systems, the top official said. As a result, pollution-related mortality rates in areas without sufficient local measurements can be estimated.

While these figures are estimates, they represent the best possible understanding of the health burden associated with air pollution based on current scientific methods, she added.

In July 2024, India's Minister of State for Health, Anupriya Patel, told the Rajya Sabha that there is "no conclusive data available in the country to establish a direct correlation of death/disease exclusively due to air pollution".

Contradicting the statement, Romanello stated that there is an overwhelming body of evidence showing how harmful air pollution is to health.

She said denial delays action and prolongs the economic and health damage caused by pollution, and acknowledging the link is critical for driving effective pollution control policies.

“The huge burden of disease coming from respiratory conditions, cardiovascular disease, neurological conditions that we know are linked to air pollution. There's very robust studies showing that link. We know that it also leads to increased chances of cancers and that it leads to adverse birth outcomes,” Romanello told PTI.

She said it increases the risk of asthma in children as well as the risk of infectious diseases, and should not be neglected.

“It adds a burden to our health systems, to local workers. It keeps people away from being productive in their economy and in their societies. So, it should not be underestimated just how much it's damaging local health, local economies, and local livelihoods, and how much benefits could be delivered by tackling air pollution,” she said.

When asked about initiatives like cloud seeding -- which is considered a temporary solution by experts and costs Rs 64 lakh per attempt -- Romanello said that such “temporary fixes do not reduce pollution generation or health risks”, stressing that solutions must target the root causes, including the dirty fuel use. PTI ABU PRK PRK