The United States agency, for example, estimates that the economic benefits of the country's Clean Air Act will total $690 billion over the 20-year period that ends in 2010. A Santiago study assessed the financial benefits stemming from compliance with the Santiago Decontamination Plan at $4 billion during a 15-year period.
These studies mirror a new report by the European Commission on achieving improved air quality standards by 2020. The Commission estimates that an investment of around €7 billion to reduce air pollution will deliver €42 billion in economic benefits as a result of “fewer premature deaths, less sickness, fewer hospital admissions and improved labour productivity.”
The Year Book finds that indoor air pollution may be responsible for up to 2.4 million premature deaths a year while outdoor air pollution from industries and vehicle may trigger about 800,000 premature deaths annually, with 65 per cent of the deaths occurring in the developing countries of Asia.
In a related development at the Forum, environment and health ministers agreed to a new global initiative aimed at making chemicals safer for humans and the planet.
Called the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, the new initiative covers a wide range of activities surrounding the manufacture and use of chemicals, from harmonizing labeling to dealing with obsolete and stockpiled products.
It also carries provisions for national centresaimed at helping countries, especially in the developing world, train staff in chemical safety and to deal with spills and accidents.
The voluntary agreement puts governments on track to meet a commitment made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002.
United Nations Environment Programme
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.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TSllC Ltd)")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF)")
