Foreword The science is clear:breathing polluted air increases the risk of debilitating and deadly diseases such as lung cancer,stroke,heart disease,and chronic bronchitis.Air pollution is now the world's fourth-leading fatal health risk,causing one in ten deaths in 2013. At the same time,air pollution from industries,construction sites,agricultural practices,vehi- cles,and the combustion of dirty energy sources continues to grow.About 87 percent of the world's population now live in countries in which ambient pollution levels exceed air quality guidelines set by the World Health Organization.In low-and middle-income countries,the danger is even more pronounced:90 percent of the population in these countries was exposed to dangerous levels of ambient air pollution in 2013. To reduce the number of people gradually being contaminated by the air they breathe,pollu- tion control would need to be at the top of the agenda for most governments.However,in most countries,such expenditure competes with other budgetary priorities and policy objec- tives.Demonstrating the economic burden of pollution can help tilt the balance of decisions in favor of investments in clean air. This study is the result of a collaboration between the World Bank and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation(IHME)at the University of Washington,Seattle.It represents an effort to merge cutting edge science and rigorous economic analysis for the good of public health. The study has found that premature deaths due to air pollution in 2013 cost the global econ- omy about $225 billion in lost labor income,or about $5.11 trillion in welfare losses world- wide.That is about the size of the gross domestic product of India,Canada,and Mexico combined-and a sobering wake-up call. However impressive and abstract these large numbers are,it is our hope that the cost of pre- mature deaths for countries'economies will leave the pages of this study and inform public debate and policy decisions at the national level.In country after country,the cost of pollution in human lives and on the quality of life is too high.We must work together to reduce it. Laura Tuck Vice President,Sustainable Development,World Bank Ta Keith Hansen, Vice President,Human Development,World Bank 以火？法t Christopher Murray Director,Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation,University of Washington The Cost of Air Pollution:Strengthening the Economic Case for Action viThe Cost of Air Pollution: Strengthening the Economic Case for Action vii Foreword The science is clear: breathing polluted air increases the risk of debilitating and deadly diseases such as lung cancer, stroke, heart disease, and chronic bronchitis. Air pollution is now the world’s fourth-leading fatal health risk, causing one in ten deaths in 2013. At the same time, air pollution from industries, construction sites, agricultural practices, vehi￾cles, and the combustion of dirty energy sources continues to grow. About 87 percent of the world’s population now live in countries in which ambient pollution levels exceed air quality guidelines set by the World Health Organization. In low- and middle-income countries, the danger is even more pronounced: 90 percent of the population in these countries was exposed to dangerous levels of ambient air pollution in 2013. To reduce the number of people gradually being contaminated by the air they breathe, pollu￾tion control would need to be at the top of the agenda for most governments. However, in most countries, such expenditure competes with other budgetary priorities and policy objec￾tives. Demonstrating the economic burden of pollution can help tilt the balance of decisions in favor of investments in clean air. This study is the result of a collaboration between the World Bank and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, Seattle. It represents an effort to merge cutting edge science and rigorous economic analysis for the good of public health. The study has found that premature deaths due to air pollution in 2013 cost the global econ￾omy about $225 billion in lost labor income, or about $5.11 trillion in welfare losses world￾wide. That is about the size of the gross domestic product of India, Canada, and Mexico combinedand a sobering wake-up call. However impressive and abstract these large numbers are, it is our hope that the cost of pre￾mature deaths for countries’ economies will leave the pages of this study and inform public debate and policy decisions at the national level. In country after country, the cost of pollution in human lives and on the quality of life is too high. We must work together to reduce it. Laura Tuck Vice President, Sustainable Development, World Bank, Keith Hansen, Vice President, Human Development, World Bank Christopher Murray Director, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington 1700234_Cost of Pollution.indd 7 9/1/16 4:24 PM