Worldwide air pollution caused 5.5 million deaths in 2013 from lung cancer stroke, bronchitis and other diseases -- more than malaria or AIDS; And the cost of pollution-related illness and deaths is $255 billion in lost labor last year, the World Bank said in a new report on Sept 8. One tenth of all deaths in 2013 came from air pollution, said the World Bank. But the real cost is even higher - more than $5 trillion in 2013 a year - when the Bank economists included what they call "welfare costs" - the money people would be willing to pay to prevent an early death. One in ten deaths around world is from air pollution, said the Bank's report authors. And even if London, New York and other wealthy
China is not known for fostering a healthy and sustainable environment, despite the stepped-up enforcement of environmental laws in very recent years. The nation contributes the highest percentage of carbon emissions to the atmosphere in the world. While carbon emissions in China may be declining due to slowing economic growth and reduced use of coal, pollution is rampant, and greenhouse gas emissions continue to be alarmingly high. Some scientists are reporting that the pace of climate change is occurring faster than had been predicted, and human activity is the major cause. Is China’s pollution accelerating climate change? Maybe. In China alone, more than 1.6 million people die annually from
