This is not the first time an Asian country has had to roll out emergency measures and issue a ‘Red Alert’ on account of air pollution. Beijing, China’s capital city, has made its way to global headlines for several years and is cited to have the poorest air quality in the world. Although, researchers believe that New Delhi may have surpassed its Asian counterpart in 2016.

The key factor contributing to Beijing’s pollution is coal consumption. The city relies heavily on electric heat generated from coal power plants. Especially in winter, the peculiar geography of Beijing further aggravates the dismal air quality. Surrounded by mountain ranges, a phenomenon known as ‘inversion’ is at play. A layer of cold air settles on top of a warmer air mass, trapping the pollutants inside.