Datanomics: India's clean-air mission struggles amid global funding gaps

The broader global funding picture is bit more complex. India receives the highest total air-quality funding globally, yet very little of it is for channelling into programmes where reducing pollution

Air quality in Delhi remains poor despite a decade of targeted policy attempts. Progress has been uneven across states as funds remained under-utilised in most parts. The broader global funding picture is more complex. India receives the highest total air-quality funding globally, yet very little of it goes into programmes where pollution reduction is the direct objective.  India led the global list of most-polluted cities  Half of the world’s ten most polluted cities in 2024 were from India. Byrnihat in Meghalaya topped the ranking, followed by New Delhi, Faridabad, Loni and Gurugram.   Top 10 most-polluted cities in 2024

 

 

 

India has the highest air-quality funding  Between 2019 and 2023, India received $19.8 billion in total air-quality funding This includes both funding focused on improving outdoor air directly and finances that achieve cleaner air indirectly through energy or transport projects. 

 

 

Direct funding limited

India received $1.2 billion in direct outdoor-air-quality allocations during 2019-23.  The top three countries — the Philippines, Bangladesh and China — together accounted for about  65 percent of all direct outdoor-air-quality finance globally. 

 

Source: State of Global Air Funding Quality Funding,2025