The Mortality and Economic Benefits of Achieving Air Pollution Standards in India
Paramita Sinha, Emily Decker, Rishi Dey, Colin John Mathews, Jennifer Lloyd, James Cajka, Prakash Doraiswamy, and Maureen Cropper
,
PNAS
February
2026
Abstract
Achieving air pollution standards in India, while lowering household cooking emissions, could substantially reduce mortality and improve the economy, this study finds. Levels of ambient air pollution in Indian cities are among the highest in the world. Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with premature mortality, but few studies have examined the benefits of decreasing ambient PM2.5 exposure in India.