NASA Satellite Image Shows India's Sulphur Emissions Increase And China's Decrease In Last 10 Years

A new study conducted by NASA and University of Maryland shows that India may soon become the world's top sulphur dioxide emitter.

Sulphur dioxide is produced especially when coal is burned to produce electricity. An air pollutant, sulfur dioxide causes acid rain, haze, and several health-related problems.

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India and China are the world's largest coal consumers. However, the latest study - published in the journal Scientific Reports on November 9, 2017 - indicates that while China's sulphur dioxide emissions have fallen by 75 per cent since 2007, India's has spiked by 50 per cent.

China's capital city Beijing has been a constant sufferer of severe smog due to the existence of coal-burning factories and power plants. However, China's efforts towards fining polluters, defining emission reduction goals, and reducing emission limits have proven beneficial for the nation.

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Despite China's 75 per cent drop in sulphur dioxide emissions, the air quality still remains poor.

In contrast, India's sulphur dioxide emissions increased by 50 per cent in the last decade. India's largest coal-fired power plant was opened in 2012 and but it still has to adopt measures and controls like China.

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¡°Right now, India¡¯s increased sulfur dioxide emissions are not causing as many health or haze problems as they do in China because the largest emission sources are not in the most densely populated area of India. However, as demand for electricity grows in India, the impact may worsen," says Can Li, an associate research scientist in the University of Maryland¡¯s Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center and at NASA¡¯s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.