At impact of pollution on health remain huge, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the brunt, says Richard Fullerlead author of a report published this week in The Lancet Planetary Health. In this work, it is highlighted that pollution was responsible for nine million deaths in 2019, that is: one in six deaths was due to this problem.
Fuller points out that “despite serious health, social and economic consequences, pollution prevention is largely neglected on the international development agenda.”
The new report is an update of the one published in the same journal in 2015. It highlights that the number of deaths from pollution sources associated with extreme poverty (such as indoor air and water pollution) has decreased. However, deaths attributable to industrial pollution (from ambient air and chemical pollution) have increased.
According to Fuller, “Despite a well-documented increase in public concern about pollution and its health effects, attention to these issues and funding has increased minimally since 2015.”
The greatest threat to human and planetary health
“Pollution is the greatest threat to human and planetary health and endangers the sustainability of modern societies. Its prevention can also stop climate change, indicates in turn Philip Landriganco-author of the report and director of the Boston College’s Global Observatory of Public Health and Pollution Program. For this reason, underlines Landrigan, the current report “calls for a massive and rapid transition to abandon all fossil fuels and replace them with clean, renewable energy”.
the commission Lancet The 2017 Pollution and Health Survey, which used data from the 2015 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, found that pollution was responsible for an estimated nine million deaths, 16% of all deaths worldwide.
The new report offers updated estimates health effects of pollution, based on the latest GBD 2019 data and methodological updates, as well as an assessment of trends since 2000.
Of the nine million deaths attributable to pollution in 2019, air pollution (domestic and environmental) remains responsible for the highest number of deaths, with 6.67 million worldwide. Water contamination was responsible for 1.36 million premature deaths. Lead contributed 900,000 deaths, followed by occupational toxic hazards with 870,000 deaths.
The decrease in deaths from traditional pollution since 2000 (air pollution in homes by solid fuels and non-potable water) is most evident in Africa. This can be explained by improvements in water supply and sanitation, antibiotics and cleaner treatments and fuels, say the authors.
Industrial pollution and population aging
However, this decline in mortality has been offset by a substantial increase in deaths from exposure to industrial pollution – such as air pollution, lead pollution and other forms of chemical pollution – in all regions over the past 20 years. This is especially evident in the Southeast Asiawhere rising levels of industrial pollution are combined with an aging population and an increasing number of people exposed.
The environmental air pollution was responsible for 4.5 million deaths in 2019, up from 4.2 million in 2015 and 2.9 million in 2000. Deaths from hazardous chemical pollutants increased from 0.9 million in 2000 to 1.7 million in 2015 and 1 .8 million in 2019, with 900,000 deaths attributable to leading contamination in 2019.
Overall, deaths from current pollution have increased by 66% over the past two decades, from about 3.8 million deaths in 2000 to 6.3 million in 2019. The number of deaths from chemical pollutants is likely to be an underestimate, as only A small number of commercially manufactured chemicals have been adequately tested for safety or toxicity.
losses and inequality
The report highlights that excess deaths due to pollution caused economic losses totaling US$4.6 trillion in 2019, equivalent to 6.2% of global economic output.
It also highlights the profound inequality of pollution, with 92% of pollution-related deaths and the greatest burden of economic loss from this occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
The authors conclude with eight recommendations. Among them, the creation of an independent scientific and political group, in the style of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), as well as a increase in funding for monitoring pollution by governments, independent donors and philanthropists, and improving pollution monitoring and data collection.
International organizations must also approve and establish a better connection between science and pollution policy, as well as those dealing with climate and biodiversity, initially with chemicals, waste and air pollution.
“It is clear that pollution is a global threat and that its causes, its spread and its health effects transcend local boundaries and require a global response. Global action is needed on all major pollutants today.” Rachel Kupkaco-author and executive director of Global Alliance on Health and Pollution.