WHO: 12.6 million people die annually from environmental pollution

Around a quarter of all deaths worldwide are attributable to working and living in an unhealthy environment: This is the conclusion of the WHO in a new report. Environmental risk factors such as air, water, and soil pollution, chemicals, climate change, and radiation contribute to about 100 different types of illnesses and injuries.

The most deadly factor turned out to be air pollution; this includes passive smoking. The WHO estimates that this alone causes 8.2 million deaths worldwide each year. Pollution leads to brain strokes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases.

Fewer deaths from infections
In contrast, deaths from infectious diseases such as diarrhea or malaria, which are often due to poor water quality, inadequate sanitation infrastructure and waste management, have decreased. The main factors for this are that more people now have access to clean water, but also the increasing spread of vaccinations, mosquito nets and medicines.

Children and elderly as victims
Children under the age of five and the elderly are particularly often affected by premature deaths due to environmental risks. According to the WHO, the deaths of 1.7 million children could be prevented each year through better environmental management. These are particularly often affected by respiratory diseases and diarrheal diseases.

Regionally, Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific region are particularly affected - mainly low- to middle-income countries.

Simple measures
WHO proposes cost-effective measures to reverse the growing trend toward poorer air quality. These include using clean energy sources for cooking, heating and lighting instead of burning wood, coal and oil. Further improving access to clean water and encouraging hand washing are also among the proposed measures, as are smoking bans, sun protection and strategies for lower CO2 emissions.