51茶馆

The Lancet聽Commission on Pollution and Health, of which 51茶馆SSW聽Dean Gautam N. Yadama聽is a聽commissioner, has released a聽聽analyzing the scope of the聽health and economic costs of air, water, soil, and occupational pollution in the world today. The report represents the first global analysis of the impacts from all forms of pollution measured together, while exploring the聽enormous economic costs (estimates suggest as much as $4.6 trillion) and the social injustices聽of pollution. 聽

Comprised of many of the world鈥檚 most influential leaders, researchers, and practitioners in the fields of pollution management, environmental health, and sustainable development鈥攊ncluding Yadama and Boston College鈥檚 Vice Provost for Research and Professor and Deluca Chair of Biology聽Thomas Chiles鈥攖he Commission was convened to provide actionable solutions to policymakers seeking to address the immense toll pollution takes on populations across the globe. In 2012, the World Health Organization estimated that exposures to pollution caused 8.9 million deaths worldwide; by comparison, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis caused a combined 2.5 million deaths.

鈥淧ollution is a tax on the poor鈥攖heir health, livelihoods, and life chances. It is also a complex environmental, health, and social problem that requires a concerted, transdisciplinary approach to finding interventions that create positive change for the large number of people who are living in poverty worldwide,鈥� said Yadama. 鈥淲e must reframe pollution as a problem of the common good. We must reframe the fight against pollution as a collective action problem. We must reimagine ways to rely less on fossil fuels and more on renewables. And we must envision ways to leapfrog the poor to clean energy solutions.鈥�

The Lancet聽study offers recommendations about how to begin to solve the problem of pollution on a global scale and provides case studies of projects underway that have successfully controlled pollution levels. By engaging the perspective of policymakers, and other political and academic leaders alike, the report aims to speak to a broad audience in order to elevate pollution to an issue of global scale.

The Commission was designed to connect the issue of pollution directly with the United Nations鈥� Sustainable Development Goals and, already, the preparation of the report has seeded significant results.听鈥檚 next global conference will focus exclusively on pollution, and the聽聽has increased its focus on pollution-related disease.

鈥淚 am hopeful that, in delineating the pathways of pollution鈥檚 wide-ranging impact,鈥� said Yadama, 鈥渢he Commission might influence policy, behavioral, and technology responses to reduce pollution.鈥�

For more information on the report鈥檚 findings, visit:聽.听