Air pollution kills around 5.7M people every year: World Bank

The World Bank reported Thursday that air pollution claims the lives of around 5.7 million people each year, with 95% of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. In a report titled Accelerating Access to Clean Air on a Livable Planet, the bank estimated that air pollution causes an economic loss equivalent to about 5% of global gross domestic product (GDP) due to its effects on health, productivity losses and reduced life expectancy. "An integrated approach – for example, designing and sequencing policies that achieve multiple goals such as energy independence or emission reduction, along with measures to reduce air pollution – could halve the number of people breathing unhealthy levels of air pollution by 2040," it said. The majority of outdoor air pollution on a global scale is caused by human activities, the report read. The policy changes in areas that contribute to air pollution, such as agriculture, urban development, transportation, industry, domestic cooking and heating, can help reduce harmful particulate matter in the air. "Countries need to have accurate, reliable, timely, participatory, and transparent data systems for monitoring air quality and assessing policy effectiveness," it noted. Policies that achieve multiple objectives at the same time, such as measures that support energy independence or reduce emissions while reducing air pollution, can offer an efficient and cost-effective solution to the problem. Also, the economic benefits of integrated pollution management policies are estimated to reach up to $2.4 trillion by 2040.