WHO report 2017-SDGs-Environmental status, Pollution and Risks

World Health Organisation has released World health statistics 2017 to monitor the progress to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sustainable development goals came into effect in January 2016 spearheaded by United Nations Development Programme which are the targets to be achieved by 2030 globally by the constituent countries. Here is the list of 17 SDGs
  1. NO POVERTY
  2. ZERO HUNGER
  3. GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
  4. QUALITY EDUCATION
  5. GENDER EQUALITY
  6. CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION
  7. AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
  8. DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
  9. INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
  10. REDUCED INEQUALITIES
  11. SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
  12. RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION
  13. CLIMATE ACTION
  14. LIFE BELOW WATER
  15. LIFE ON LAND
  16. PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS
  17. PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS

WHO
Image: Pixabay


According to the latest report by WHO:

Environmental Risks:
In 2014, 92% of the world population was living in places where WHO air quality guideline standards were not met. Outdoor air pollution in both cities and rural areas was estimated to have caused 3 million deaths worldwide in 2012.
Unsafe water, unsafe sanitation and lack of hygiene also remain important causes of death, with an estimated 871 000 associated deaths occurring in 2012. Such deaths disproportionately occur in low-income communities and among children under 5 years of age .
Although 6.6 billion people used an improved drinking-water source in 2015 the coverage of safely managed drinking-water services remains low, with preliminary estimates of 68% coverage in urban areas and only 20% in rural areas. Around one third of the world population (32%) did not have access to improved sanitation facilities in 2015, including 946 million people who practised open defecation.

Air Pollution:
According to Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in urban areas (μg/m3), 2014, Saudi Arabia recorded highest value of 127.1 followed by Qatar 104.6 and Egypt 100.6. Solomon Islands recorded lowest fine particulate matter with 5.0 μg/m3.
Mortality due to Air Pollution:
(Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution (per 100 000 population), 2012)
Interestingly United Kingdom has got more higher rate of mortality due to air pollution (25.7) when compared to other European nations like Sweden (0.4), Finland (6.0).
Democratic People's Republic of Korea with 238.4 rate for 100,000 population has highest rate followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina (230.6) and China (161.1).
Sanitation
Achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations is one of the Sustainable Development goal. According to the WHO report, In India only 40 percent of population has access to improved sanitation.


Sources: WHO, UNDP

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