Fast urbanization and air pollution in Kathmandu, Nepal
A small town home to only few hundred thousand people until 5 decades ago, Kathmandu is nowadays a metropolis of 3 million people. Without a proper urban planning in place, this urbanization process quickly ran out of control. The small Nepalese economy, landlocked and highly dependent on the two giant neighbours (India and China), struggled to put in place an efficient transport system and basic services for the fast-growing population.
'Out of Thin Air' focuses on the most pressing issues Kathmandu has to face as a consequence of this process: a severe detriment of its air quality due to the proliferation of private vehicles. Figures show that vehicles in Kathmandu are increasing at the staggering rate of 14% per year, 3 times faster then population. As a result, in the 2018 global Environmental Performance Index (EPI), Nepal ranked last in terms of air quality among the 180 countries listed.
Out of Thin Air [2018]
'Out of Thin Air' focuses on the most pressing issues Kathmandu has to face as a consequence of its ultrafast urbanization process: a severe detriment of its air quality due to the proliferation of private vehicles.
Out of Thin Air - Short Film [2018]
A short film on Kathmandu' ultrafast urbanization process and its consequences. The voice of Bhushan Tuladhar, an Environmental Engineer & UN Habitat Adivsor will put Kathmandu's fast urbanization process into context.
Democracy and Footpaths [2018]
Through this short Virtual Reality (VR) piece the viewer will travel the streets of Kathmandu guided by the voice of Bhushan Tuladhar, an Environmental Engineer & UN Habitat Adivsor who will put Kathmandu's fast urbanization process into context.
Kathmandu Now and Then [2018]
Kathmandu now and in the 1960s-70s thanks to archive photos of the city courtesy of PC Nepal Photo Project / Nepal Picture Library.