Under the EU-UNDP collaborative global project, Advancing Health and Environmental Sustainability through Action on Air Pollution, a global initiative was launched to address pollution and its impact on public health. This project focuses on reducing air pollution and related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by strengthening multi-sectoral stakeholder governance at national and local levels. It has also facilitated the development of a Legal Environment Assessment (LEA) for air pollution and health.

According to UNDP’s report, Multi-Sectoral Action Plan for Air Pollution Mitigation in Gurugram, India 2025-2030 (UNDP, 2024), air pollution poses a significant threat to public health in Gurugram, contributing to preventable mortality. The report outlines the key challenges in controlling air pollution and proposes targeted strategies through a multi-sectoral action plan.

Targeted interventions could play a crucial role in mitigating the burden of air pollution in Gurugram. For instance:

• Developing roadside greenbelts could prevent approximately 477 deaths.
• Transitioning industries to cleaner fuels might avert an additional 223 deaths.
• Implementing stricter emissions control measures could prevent 160 deaths.

These findings highlight the urgent need for city-specific, multi-sectoral action plans to reduce pollution and safeguard public health in Gurugram.

The proposed Multi-Sectoral Action Plan for Air Pollution Mitigation in Gurugram, India 2025-2030 outlines key challenges and proposes targeted actions across multiple sectors to mitigate air pollution’s negative impacts. Extensive stakeholder engagement was conducted to assess the challenges faced by authorities and other stakeholders. Additionally, existing coordination mechanisms for air pollution were analyzed to understand decision-making processes and data flow in the city. Based on these insights, a new coordination mechanism at the city or district government level has been proposed to bridge gaps and enhance air quality management.