Punjab unveils Advanced Air Quality Dashboard to strengthen pollution monitoring

LAHORE, 14 September 2026 – Last week, the Environment Protection and Climate Change Department (EPCCD), Government of Punjab, in collaboration with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), launched an upgraded air quality monitoring platform designed to help authorities track pollution levels, identify hotspots and better understand air quality trends across the province.

The initiative is supported by Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Senior Minister Punjab Marriyum Aurangzeb, and Secretary, Environment Protection and Climate Change Department, Silwat Saeed, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen air quality management and environmental monitoring across Punjab.

Punjab routinely faces winter smog when stagnant weather conditions trap pollutants close to the ground and blanket cities in persistent haze. These conditions can lead to elevated pollution levels, particularly between October and April.

“As part of the wider Indo-Gangetic Plains, Punjab experiences seasonal variations in air quality. The integrated dashboard will serve as a crucial data and forecasting tool to monitor pollution trends, identify emerging hotspots, and support timely and informed responses to pollution episodes,” said Abdullah Nayyar Sheikh, Director General, Environment Protection and Climate Change Department, Government of Punjab.

Air pollution remains a significant environmental and public health challenge across the province. Emissions from transport, industry, household fuel use and dust contribute to pollution levels, while average annual PM2.5 concentrations have been estimated at around 52 micrograms per cubic metre, approximately ten times higher than the World Health Organization’s annual guideline level.

Air pollution levels in Punjab can periodically reach hazardous levels. In October 2025, Lahore recorded a citywide Air Quality Index (AQI) of 412, while elevated pollution levels were also observed in several districts, including Faisalabad and Multan.

The upgraded Punjab AQI Dashboard integrates ground observations, satellite products, atmospheric modelling data and AI-enabled analytical tools into a single platform. The system is designed to support government agencies, researchers and technical institutions in monitoring pollution patterns, assessing changing conditions, and tracking the movement of severe pollution episodes.

Users can access information on major pollutants including PM2.5, PM10, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide across different locations within the province.

A key feature of the upgraded platform is a 72-hour PM2.5 forecast powered by NASA’s Goddard Earth Observing System, providing advance information on pollution trends and helping authorities better anticipate severe smog conditions.

“The impact of recurrent smog extends beyond public health to livelihood and economic productivity,” said Ashish Tiwari, Air Lead at ICIMOD. “Access to timely and reliable air quality information strengthens the ability of governments and institutions to anticipate pollution events, communicate risks and support evidence-based action.”
 
The platform also enables users to compare satellite-based and ground-based observations, examine long-term pollution trends, and identify areas where pollution levels are consistently elevated.

Beyond its public health implications, air pollution has regional environmental consequences. Black carbon, a short-lived climate pollutant emitted from sources such as transport and industry, can travel to the Himalaya, where it darkens snow and ice surfaces, increases heat absorption and accelerates glacier melt.

Scientists have warned that accelerated glacier loss could affect water security, agricultural productivity and disaster risk across the wider Hindu Kush Himalaya region.

The dashboard was launched on the United Nations International Day of Clean Air for blue skies and is available here.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Neraz Tuladhar (Raz), Media Officer
Email: media@icimod.org