Lessons from Oslo on tackling pollution

*Author is currently living in Oslo, the beautiful capital of Norway. The image above is from 2017, when a temporary ban on diesel vehicles was implemented

Last Wednesday, my upstairs neighbours knocked on my door at 2300 hours. Given that most people don’t call this late, I urgently opened the door. They were worried about a strong burning smell in our building and were trying to find out if any of us have the stove on, or some heater is malfunctioning. There was no problem, they checked with others and it turns out it was a combination of air pollution and someone ‘s wood fire which was drifting our way.

Oslo doesn’t usually suffer heavy air pollution, but Dagbladet recently highlighted that Oslo has been suffering from poor air quality. ?As per officials, it is primarily being caused by road dust and dry conditions. Oslo takes these seriously and to curb the problem, enforces Environmental Speed Limits (of 60 km/h) in affected areas, sweeping roads every 2 weeks and a studded tire fee.

Warning for Sensitive Groups

Air pollution does not affect everyone equally. Vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions are particularly susceptible to its harmful effects. Exposure to polluted air can aggravate respiratory diseases, trigger asthma attacks, and even lead to cardiovascular problems. The Dagbladet article emphasized that the adverse impact on sensitive people is a pressing concern that requires immediate attention.

The impact of air pollution extends beyond immediate health issues. Prolonged exposure to poor air quality can lead to a significant loss of healthy years for residents. Studies have shown that air pollution can reduce life expectancy and increase the risk of chronic diseases. Government here understands this and so changes in infrastructure and policies have substantially improved the air quality since early 2000s. In fact, Greenhouse emissions in Oslo have been reduced by 28% from 2009 to 2022, while establishing new green areas in spite of a growing population.

Measures to improve air quality

As per Oslo’s 5-year report, government considers both social and land-use elements for tackling this problem, while balances various interests and needs, ensuring that development aligns with overarching goals and strategies.

Interesting for me is the social element, which comprises six goals, one of which is that Oslo will be green and vibrant. This goal comprises the following themes:

• Climate-resilient zero emission city
• Developing and improving environmentally friendly modes of travel
• Sustainable energy supply
• Saving the Oslo Fjord and conserving forests
• Making space for nature in the city
• Circular economy

Learnings for Delhi and India

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in cities like Delhi and other parts of India often reaches hazardous levels, far exceeding those in Oslo (in fact, anywhere between 20x to 200x). Delhi's air pollution crisis, primarily driven by vehicular emissions, industrial activity, and crop burning, serves as a stark reminder of the severe consequences of neglecting air quality. While there is a huge difference in population density (1,684 for Oslo vs 11,312 for Delhi), most of this population is concentrated in a small stretch between Grefsen and Frogner. As such, the way to improve pollution has been mostly about engaging citizens in a green transition. This has been done through adopting green policies, while educating citizens about their benefits. It helps that most of their citizens are highly educated and are concerned about long-term future. So, the obvious question is what can Delhi do in this case to reduce the pollution impact for its citizens?

Raising Awareness and Political Will

Raising awareness about the harmful effects of air pollution is paramount. Public knowledge and understanding of the issue can drive collective action and demand for change. However, awareness alone is not enough; strong political will is essential to tackle this problem effectively. Policymakers must prioritize air quality as a public health issue and allocate resources towards sustainable solutions. Collaborative efforts between the government, private sector, and civil society can create a robust framework for combating air pollution. Air pollution and heat has a circular relationship – increased air pollution also contributes high GHGs and increasing temperatures forces more people to use cars & Air-conditioners which just exacerbates the problem further.

Following actions could be taken by Delhi (and India’s govt.) –

1. Educate citizens of Delhi (and rest of India) on need for environment-friendly actions. This is paramount since this can provide long-term impetus to policy-making and citizen engagement.
2. Encourage proper waste disposal and composting.
3. Collaborate with nearby states of Punjab and Haryana to reduce stubble burning or crop burning by providing technological solutions and utilizing some of the green funds generated from charges on automobiles towards bio-fuels and technological innovations for agrarian communities.
4. Encourage Active travel by create automobile-free areas in the city to encourage walking and cycling
5. Construct bike tracks and enforce them (so that auto-rickshaws are not parked on them)
6. Construct pedestrian paths and crossings in all areas – also punish any encroachments strictly
7. Add protected bike parking stations at all metro stations
8. Introduce bike rental options across the city
9. Allow bicycles on metros
10. Charge cars for entering busy areas of the city during certain times of the day
11. Charge for parking across the urban areas
12. Charge people using diesel or petrol cars as this could significantly reduce the usage of polluting cars
13. Provide monetary benefits for those using bicycles or E-bikes for commute
14. Reduce VAT for electric vehicles
15. Reduce parking charges for EVs
16. Increase electric charging options. Electric vehicles tend to perform well in cold weather, so India needs to keep innovating so that we use technology which is favourable to our conditions.
17. Infrastructure changes to reduce road space for cars to increase road space for bicycles and pedestrians.
18. Improve last mile connectivity through electric vehicles and pedestrian paths.
19. Provide covered pedestrian & bike paths since it could be quite hot or rainy in Indian cities.
20. Make rules that would require contractors and builders to take precautions to reduce dust during any construction, as well as provide alternatives for pedestrians & cyclists for roadworks.

Time for citizens to raise their voice for change

The temporary increase in pollution levels in Oslo for a couple of weeks made me realise that the children in Delhi are living under enormous stress. It is futile to make huge economic leaps if we are not taking care of our next generation. Learning from the experiences of cities like Oslo and others, Delhi can implement stringent measures to protect its residents from the harmful effects of air pollution. It is time for the government to activate regulations, promote clean energy, and ensure that the air we breathe is safe for everyone.

As citizens, it is our duty to push the govt. to preserve the health and beauty of our city for future generations.

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