Air pollution causes 5.7 million deaths annually, World Bank reports

The World Bank reported that air pollution leads to approximately 5.7 million deaths each year, with 95% of fatalities occurring in low- and middle-income nations. It also causes economic losses amounting to 5% of global GDP due to health impacts, productivity decline, and reduced life expectancy.

According to the World Bank’s report Accelerating Access to Clean Air on a Livable Planet, air pollution significantly harms public health and the economy, leading to a loss of around 5% of the global gross domestic product (GDP).

The report highlights that human activities are the primary source of outdoor air pollution. Key contributors include agriculture, urbanization, transportation, industry, and household activities like cooking and heating. Implementing policies in these sectors can help lower harmful particulate matter levels.

An integrated strategy combining energy independence, emission reduction, and air pollution control could reduce the number of people exposed to unhealthy air by half by 2040. Reliable and transparent air quality monitoring is essential for assessing policy effectiveness.

Policies that address multiple challenges simultaneously—such as reducing emissions while enhancing energy security—are both cost-effective and beneficial. The economic advantages of such strategies could amount to $2.4 trillion by 2040.

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