A new wave of air pollution crises: what can be done?

A new wave of air pollution crises: what can be done?
Over the past few months, a series of air pollution episodes have set new records across Asia. Earlier this summer, hundreds of people were evacuated, and schools had to be closed due to poor air quality in many parts of Indonesia, during a crisis that made the skies over the region turn red. More recently, air quality levels have worsened in India creating public outcry with dire consequences for large swaths of society. The spikes, especially in fine particulate matter (PM2.5), have caused closure of schools, declaration of health emergency by the state government, demonstrations by civil society and alarming media coverage.