UN: Pollution causes more deaths than Corona
Created: 02/15/2022, 17:01
The UN warns that more people worldwide die from pollution than from Corona.
© Natasha Ewins/dpa/Marine Conservation Society/PA
Every year, millions of premature deaths are due to environmental pollution - the UN warns and calls for "immediate action".
According to a UN report, environmental pollution from states and companies causes more deaths worldwide than the corona pandemic*.
Pollution from pesticides, plastics and electronic waste are responsible for at least nine million premature deaths a year, according to a United Nations environmental report released on Tuesday.
More deaths from pollution than corona pandemic
But these issues are largely overlooked, and "immediate and ambitious action" is needed to ban some toxic chemicals.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused nearly 5.9 million deaths, according to statistics service Worldometer.
In this context, the UN report also speaks of a comprehensive violation of human rights.
"Current approaches to addressing the risks posed by pollution and toxic substances are clearly failing, leading to widespread violations of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment," concluded study author and UN Special Rapporteur David Boyd.
Ban on PFC chemicals
Among other things, the report urges a ban on so-called PFC chemicals, which are used in household products such as non-stick coatings on cookware and in textiles.
PFCs accumulate in the environment, are hardly degradable and some are considered harmful.
The report is due to be presented next month to the UN Human Rights Council, which has declared a clean environment a human right*.
(rtr)
*Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
