Hyderabad: The degradation of environment by human activities may result in millions of premature deaths by 2050, a United Nations report cautioned.
The UN report-Global Environment Outlook said thatthe increasing levels ofair and water pollution have put human life under major threat.
The 740-page report contributed by 250 scientists from 70 countries and compiled over six years, has warned that the 'ecological foundations of the society' may be endangered by human activities if no largescale action is taken.
The report also cautioned that if this continues the world may fail to meet human food requirements and resource needs. Moreover, freshwater pollutants making antimicrobial-resistant infections may be a major cause of death by 2050.
Air pollution also remains a major contributor to disease. Air pollution causes 6 million to 7 million premature deaths annually and causes losses of USD 5 trillion each year.
“The Global Environment Outlook has a very clear message: we cannot transform the world by tweaking around the edges,” an international media outlet reportedquoting Joyce Msuya, acting executive director of UN Environment.
“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,” Msuya informed.
Asked how to tackle the situation, Kristie Ebi, a professor at the University of Washington's Department of Public Health and a lead author of a chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, said, "We must develop climate policies that capitalize on benefits and reduce harms."
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