A new study by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has revealed a consistent rise in greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄), over Delhi and Mumbai. Researchers Prof. Manoranjan Sahu and Adarsh Alagade found that both cities are recording higher GHG levels each year, with noticeable seasonal variations.
Using satellite data from NASA’s OCO-2 and the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-5P, the team identified methane hotspots around industrial zones, landfills, and wastewater areas. The researchers also created city-specific models to forecast emissions and understand trends in urban GHG concentrations.
Professor Sahu said satellite-based monitoring helps policymakers target key sources of pollution such as landfills and heavy-traffic corridors. The study emphasized the importance of such data in designing climate policies and evaluating their effectiveness. The Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model used in the study also showed strong forecasting potential.
The findings, published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research, underscore the urgent need for climate action. Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality has worsened again, prompting the Central Air Quality Management (CAQM) to enforce Stage 1 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) ahead of Diwali.
