People across the globe, especially in low-income countries, continue to use solid fuels like coal, wood and plant waste for cooking and heating. The resulting indoor air pollution exposes children to smoke and particles at key stages of brain development.

As Delhi continues to grapple with recurring episodes of severe air pollution, environmental experts have cautioned that emergency measures such as the GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) offer only temporary relief and do little to address the structural causes of the capital’s worsening air quality.

When indoor air pollutants enter the lungs, they can trigger inflammation and place long-term strain on the heart and respiratory system. The same biological processes occur when pollution comes from a wood stove in a rural village or from a poorly ventilated cooker in a modern flat.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lee Zeldin attacked the "dishonest" New York Times for its report on new air pollution guidelines.