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As Lungs Pay Cost of Dirty Fuels, UN Urges Action on Climate Health Risks

Reuters

   MADRID - Human health is paying the price of the world's failure to
   curb global warming, the World Health Organization warned Tuesday,
   urging governments at U.N. climate talks to cut climate-changing
   emissions faster and provide funds to address growing threats.

   Those range from lung and heart problems caused by toxic air to deaths
   in storms and wildfires, and the expansion of dengue, malaria, cholera
   and other diseases spread by mosquitoes and contaminated water.

   "The cost of not taking enough action at the climate summit ... is paid
   by my lungs and your lungs," said Maria Neira, director of the
   department of environment, climate change and health at the World
   Health Organization (WHO), a U.N. agency.

   The causes of climate change and air pollution overlap, she added,
   calling for societies to "decarbonize," including by ditching coal as a
   source of power and heat, and ending subsidies for the extraction and
   use of fossil fuels.

   According to the WHO, the burning of oil, gas and coal is responsible
   for two-thirds of the outdoor air pollution that causes about 4 million
   premature deaths each year.

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