A man works in a waste depot at the Central de Abasto wholesale market in Mexico City.
Air pollution from vehicles and industry as well as burning fuels such as wood, coal and kerosene for cooking, heating and lighting was resulting in around 7 million deaths annually, said the report – costing around US$5 trillion in welfare losses. It was released at the UN Environment Assembly, a five-day summit where environment ministers plan to commit to creating a more sustainable planet, from reducing food waste and plastic pollution to developing technologies to combat climate change.
“We need to look at transforming how we produce and consume in the areas of food, energy and waste to ensure a healthy future for all.” “It’s time to value waste and discard our current model of economic growth and the mountains of waste that have come to characterise our urban spaces and waterways,” she said.