Clean air framework unveiled to cut industrial pollution
Summary
Nepal has introduced a draft framework to reduce industrial air pollution by promoting clean energy and improving air quality governance, targeting key polluting industries in Kathmandu Valley and the Tarai region.
Key Points
- Nepal unveiled a draft environmental and social management framework to reduce industrial air pollution through the Clean Air for Prosperity project.
- The initiative aims to shift industries from coal and fossil fuels to cleaner energy, primarily electricity from renewables, focusing on small and medium enterprises.
- The framework supports emission control technologies like bag filters and wet scrubbers for industries unable to switch immediately to electric or pellet boilers.
- Experts stress the need for tax exemptions on clean energy and stronger policy coordination to ensure the successful implementation of the project.
- Nepal’s industrial pollution significantly contributes to hazardous PM2.5 levels in Kathmandu Valley and Tarai, exacerbated by cross-border pollution from northern India.
