Pollution killer of lives and growth
According to a recent report of the Lancet Commission of Health and Pollution, India leads the world in pollution-related premature deaths, accounting for 2.51million of the nine million worldwide in 2015. Air pollution is the top culprit: there were 6.5 million deaths globally in 2015, and India’s share is about 28%, or 1.81million. Pollution is no longer an isolated environmental issue. It affects health and well-being and has immense economic and social implications.For low-middle-income countries like India, the productivity loss is to the tune of 0.32-0.4% of GDP. Pollution also pushes people into poverty, via increased medical costs in a context of out-of-pocket medical expenditure for the most part. It also affects cognitive capacity of children and diminished productivity in adults, given that pollution affects organ systems such as the heart, lungs and brain. The report quantifies the impact of unchecked pollution. It should no longer be acceptable to ignore the adverse impacts on health and well-being in the pursuit of economic growth. Pollution endangers growth.
The report is a clear signal to governments to put pollution prevention high on the national priority. Single-measure solutions and the knee-jerk approach to the issue have been the hallmark of pollution prevention and have to be abandoned. Instead, tackling pollution must be integrated into the planning process. Governments at all levels must set out ambitious, attainable targets with clear timelines and accountabilities. Robust implementation of laws and regulations, and engagement with the private sector, supporting city-level initiatives, should be at the core of the effort to tackle pollution. Reducing pollution, improving people’s well-being and ensuring economic growth requires coordinated effort by all.
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