Abstract Air pollution has emerged as a significant threat in most of the urban centers of the world. It varies with respect to its origins, geographical and temporal variability, and toxicity depending upon the rate of emissions. Transportation, industrial, and domestic sectors, agricultural residue burning, and the lack of advanced pollution control technologies have contributed to the rapid increase in the emissions of pollutants. The problem of air pollution is further aggravated when anthropogenic activities combine with local meteorology, seasonal variations, background pollution levels, and long-distance transport of pollutants. Despite the temporary fall in the levels of air pollutants during COVID-19 due to the shutdown of economic activities, the problem remains the same after the COVID-19 period. Therefore, stringent policy measures should be adopted, including the formulation of a clean air action plan at the local, regional, and international levels. Furthermore, collaboration between the governments, line departments, and various stakeholders, proper planning of urban areas using cutting-edge technologies, carrying capacity studies, and public awareness can contribute significantly to the reduction of ambient air pollution in urban centers. Therefore, this narrative review covers urban air pollution studies from 2004 to 2024, with a focus on 2024 research.
Sahil et al. (Thu,) studied this question.