The latest report released by the World Bank has shown that premature deaths due to air pollution are the biggest threats in Nepal and have reduced life expectancy by 3.4 years, and cause nearly 26,000 early deaths annually. The Kathmandu Valley and the Terai are the most polluted areas. As emphasized in the report, it is essential not only to consider one sector in the fight against pollution but a set of them.
Air quality is poor, and it negatively affects Nepal’s economy to the tune of more than 6 percent of GDP annually. The most important solutions lie in the popularity of electric vehicles, the cleaner technologies of the industry, environment-friendly cookstoves, fires in forests, and collaboration with other countries. Together with the World Bank, the government is attempting to improve the quality of air by implementing even stricter policies, financing, and technical assistance.