Centre Rejects Global Climate and AQI Rankings, Says They Don’t Shape Policy

The government informed the Rajya Sabha on December 11, 2025, that global air-quality rankings published by organisations such as IQAir, the WHO Global Air Quality Database, the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) metrics are not conducted by any official international authority and therefore do not determine India’s policymaking.

This clarification was given in response to questions by MP V. Sivadasan on India’s position in these global indices since 2020, the parameters they use and whether the government had reviewed India’s performance.

The Environment Ministry said the WHO’s air-quality guidelines are advisory values, intended to help countries set their own standards based on geography, environmental conditions, background levels and national circumstances. They do not constitute binding standards or formal global pollution rankings.

Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh added that countries develop their own ambient air-quality norms, and India has already notified the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 12 pollutants to safeguard public health and the environment.

On steps to strengthen domestic air-quality management, the government noted that it conducts the annual Swachh Vayu Survekshan to assess 130 cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), with top performers recognised on National Swachh Vayu Diwas.