A new report from five international agencies has concluded that the world is not on track to meet 2030 global energy targets set as part of the Sustainable Development Goals, but that “real progress” is being made and helping to show signs of promise, particularly in expanding electricity access in developing countries and increasing industrial energy efficiency.
“People living in Small Island Developing States are on the frontline of extreme weather events, rising sea levels and increased risk of infectious disease,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “We owe it to these people to do everything we can to help them prepare for the future that is already washing up on their shores.”
As we revealed in our previous article, air pollution is a serious problem that costs millions of lives each year and is a drain on the world economy. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) air pollution is now a bigger health threat than HIV and Ebola. You might now be wondering how your own city measures up against others from around the world, where it sits in the rankings, and what the health effects of air pollution might be.
Roughly 1.7 million children are now dying every year as a result of unhealthy living environments — exposure to high outdoor and indoor air pollution levels, chemical pollution, second-hand smoke, dirty water, and poor sanitation and hygiene — according to the World Health Organization.
Internet searches show air pollution is concerning more and more people — searches relating to air pollution are up 750% in the past decade in the UK. Of course, part of that is from more people searching for information on Google, but part is simply increasing air pollution problems and people’s awareness of … [continued]
Over 80% of those living in urbanized regions with air-quality monitoring breathe air featuring pollution levels that exceed World Health Organization safety limits, according to a new report from the organization. The findings of the new report are based on the evaluation of data gathered in 3,000 different cities, and … [continued]
“Recent decades have witnessed dramatic progress in global health,” says the US Agency for International Development. Smallpox has been eradicated within the past half century. In all but three countries (Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan), polio has been wiped out. Use of modern methods of contraception has increased from 10% in 1965 … [continued]
The big news we’re hearing about Barack Obama this weekend has nothing to do with climate change: it’s that he’s cutting short his trip to India to pay final respects from the United States to Saudi Arabian King Abdullah. He’ll also meet with Salman, the late monarch’s brother and former … [continued]
Climate change will be the cause of roughly 250,000 “extra” deaths a year by 2030, according to a recent report from the World Health Organization quantifying the future impacts of the changing climate on human health. Of this figure, roughly 48,000 will be via diarrhea; 60,000 via malaria; 95,000 via … [continued]
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is sharing another donation in keeping with his urban infrastructure passion and expertise. His philanthropic organization is expected to announce it will spend $125 million during the next five years on programs to reduce traffic deaths and injuries in 10 cities in low- and … [continued]
