Clean Air Action Plan

Tackling urban air pollution requires strategic, city-level interventions grounded in science and systems thinking. The Clean Air Action Plan initiative supports Indian cities in designing and implementing targeted mitigation strategies based on a robust understanding of their unique pollution sources.

WRI India works closely with city authorities to conduct detailed assessments of air pollution contributors and provides technical guidance and evidence-based solutions to strengthen local air quality management efforts. 

Why City-Level Action Matters

Effective air quality management begins with identifying and addressing the primary sources of pollution — ranging from vehicular emissions, construction-related dust, and solid waste burning to industrial discharges. To ensure that mitigation efforts are accurate and impactful, cities must undertake source apportionment studies, which reveal the relative contribution of different pollution sources.

Armed with this data, cities can develop targeted action plans that prioritize high-impact interventions, build institutional capacity, and establish clear roadmaps for sustainable, long-term improvement. 

Surat Clean Air Action Plan (SCAP)

The Surat Clean Air Action Plan (SCAP), developed by WRI India in collaboration with Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies and Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF), offers technical interventions and suggests mitigation actions to strengthen institutional road maps.  

The SCAP has been developed in accordance with the guidelines and protocols prescribed by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under the National Clean Air Program (NCAP).  

This report is the result of one-on-one meetings, a source apportionment study conducted by TERI, primary surveys, and a series of stakeholder consultation workshops. It encompasses emissions from various source categories, key sectoral issues, control measures, mitigation strategies, micro-level implementation plans, techno-economic analysis, and different impact scenarios.