Satellite-Based Analysis of Air Quality altering Factors: A Multi-Sectoral Guide for Mitigating Environmental Smog

Aerosols are one of the major reasons to decline air quality world-wide. Vehicular/industrial emissions and crop waste burnings are the major contributors involved in deteriorating the air quality including metrological factors such as lack of rainfall and high relative humidity. Lahore Division of Punjab Pakistan has been affected by smog pollution during October and November since 2017. So, goal of the present study is to identify the key air pollution generating sources and their contribution in smog formation. In this study, aerosol optical depth (AOD) and thermal anomalies have been analyzed and examined with three metrological elements i.e. temperature, humidity and rainfall of October & November during 2018-2022 using satellite data. Transport, industrial and agricultural data derived from secondary sources has also been considered in this study. Results of the study exhibited that transport sector is playing leading role by having 43% share of pollutants emission into the ambient air. Whereas, results of the satellite imagery showed that AOD level increased in Lahore Division due to significant variation in metrological factors and thermal anomalies. Hence, results of the study suggest multi-sectoral short, medium and long term plans to tackle air pollution for environmental, social and economic sustainability.