India has started monitoring its air pollution

On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the country will begin monitoring air quality in 10 cities. India's national air quality index will monitor and reduce carbon emissions.

Business Standard notes that India has been seen as having an "insensitivity" to climate change, and its cities are believed to have some of the world's worst pollution. Modi hopes the new index will change that perception.

"We must think of traditional methods to tackle environmental issues," Modi said at a conference of environment and forest ministers in India. "There can be green solutions in our age-old traditions."

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Modi also encouraged citizens to do their part for the environment, saying that change won't be possible "unless we bring a change in our lifestyle." He encouraged companies to focus on solid waste management and recycling waste water so that it could be sent to farmers as fertilizer. The fertilizer, in turn, could help provide affordable vegetables for India's citizens.