Air pollution costs trillions and holds back poor countries, says World Bank

Air pollution costs the world trillions of dollars a year and severely impedes development in many countries, according to the World Bank. In a major study (pdf) of the economic costs of indoor and outdoor pollution, the bank found that in 2013 – the year from which the latest available estimates date – China lost nearly 10% of its GDP, India 7.69% and Sri Lanka and Cambodia roughly 8%. Rich countries are also losing tens of billions of dollars a year through lost work days and welfare costs from premature deaths.

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