WHO: Environment causes one in four deaths
http://www.dw.com/en/who-environment-causes-one-in-four-deaths/a-19117118
Environmental factors like air, water and soil pollution cause one in four deaths worldwide, the WHO says. Environmentally linked deaths are most prevalent in Southeast Asia.
WHO: Environment causes one in four deaths
Louise Osborne
15.03.2016
The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for measures to be taken to improve the environmental conditions that people live and work in after a report revealed that 12.6 million people died in 2012 as a result of environmental factors.
Air, water and soil pollution along with chemical exposures, climate change and ultraviolet light were cited as contributing to more than 100 diseases and injuries, according to the report released by the WHO on Tuesday (15.03.2016).
Margaret Chan, WHO director-general, said a healthy environment was essential for a healthy population. If countries do not take actions to make environments where people live and work healthy, millions will continue to become ill and die too young, she said.
Low and middle income countries in Southeast Asia are the hardest hit by environmental factors with 3.8 million deaths annually and the Western Pacific region following close behind.