Smog Season in Lahore: A Crisis in the Air
With the arrival of October, cities across Punjab, including Lahore, face the season known as “smog season.” Due to post-harvest crop burning and urban pollution, air quality in Lahore has plummeted, creating a so-called “fifth season.” Recently, Lahore topped global air quality indexes with an AQI of 299, approaching the “hazardous” level, with Delhi following at an AQI of 207.
The Struggle to Find a Clean Air Activist
As part of a clean air initiative at the 2024 Lahore Biennale 03, British artist Dryden Goodwin sought a local activist to portray in his campaign. However, finding a volunteer proved difficult. Abid Omar, founder of the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative, ultimately agreed to participate, leading to a series of over 230 pencil sketches that now appear across Lahore. Omar hopes that this art display will inspire more locals to take action for clean air.
Breathe: Lahore – Raising Awareness for Clean Air
Goodwin’s campaign, Breathe: Lahore, is an artistic representation of the urgency around clean air. Spanning 1,500 posters, digital billboards, and projections, his work captures the human impact of Lahore’s smog. His largest installation—a 41-minute animation made from 1,617 drawings—is featured at the historic Bradlaugh Hall in Lahore, illustrating the struggle of every breath in an environment filled with toxic air.
Lahore’s Early Smog Warning
Lahore’s pollution levels arrived two weeks earlier than expected this year, impacting its nearly 15 million residents. The high concentration of particulate matter in the air, especially those smaller than 2.5 micrometers, poses severe health risks, particularly to lung health.
Goodwin’s Journey to Environmental Activism
Goodwin’s interest in air pollution began in 2012 when he created an animated series inspired by his young son’s vulnerability to poor air. His latest work builds on earlier campaigns like Breathe:2022 and Breathe For Ella—the latter named in honor of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, a child from London who became the first person globally to have air pollution listed as a cause of death.
Invisible Dust’s Vision for Global Change
Invisible Dust, a UK organization that merges art with science to address environmental issues, supported Goodwin’s project in Lahore. The group aims to expand the initiative to other high-risk cities, like Delhi, as part of a global movement for clean air. Lucy Wood, producer of the Breathe series, envisions building momentum through local partnerships that foster awareness and drive change.
Regional Cooperation on Air Pollution
Experts agree that meaningful improvement in air quality requires a cooperative approach among South Asian nations. Recently, environmental leaders from Pakistan and India met in Nairobi to discuss strategies for regional air quality improvement. These dialogues aim to foster mutual understanding and cooperation on a critical public health issue, particularly as relations between the two countries remain tense.
