Around the world, 13 million deaths could be avoided each year just by making some positive changes to improve the environment. The World Health Organization (WHO) has published its report on environmental health, with findings that show the inequalities between rich and poor regions. According to WHO data, poor countries lose 20 times more healthy years of life per capita per year than more developed countries.

According to the analysis by country, the factors that impact the health of the global population are environmental pollution, ultraviolet radiation, hazardous materials in the workplace, noise, climate, ecosystem changes, and risks derived from agriculture. The countries most affected by these are Angola, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Afghanistan.

The report which collected data from 23 countries around the world concludes that up to 10 percent of deaths in these areas can be directly attributed to only two environmental problems: water pollution (which includes lack of hygiene and basic services) and the pollution inside the home due to the use of solid fuel for cooking.

The UN health agency recognizes that simple changes to the domestic environment could radically alter the scenario. Among its recommendations referred are the replacement of coal with cleaner fuels such as gas or electricity, the use of better cooking stoves, and keeping children away from smoke.

The document stresses that children are just some of the population most affected by environmental pollution. Throughout the world, no less than 74 percent of victims from diarrheal diseases and respiratory tract infections are younger than five years old.

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Via WHO