Breathing Life into Amazonian Cities
A new EDF report reveals that over 10 million people in Brazil's Amazon cities breathe unsafe air, resulting in 3,000 premature deaths and $5 billion in yearly health costs.
The Amazon region, often referred to as the lungs of the world, is facing a severe air pollution crisis. However, the report also highlights the potential for transformative investments in clean air, which could lead to significant health-cost savings and job growth.
- More than 10 million urban residents breathe unsafe air across the region.
- Over 3,000 premature deaths occur in cities each year due to air pollution.
- Nearly $5 billion USD is spent on health costs annually.
Targeted investments can turn things around, with solutions like electrifying transport, updating air quality monitoring, and deploying renewables delivering up to 33x returns and creating more jobs per dollar spent than fossil fuels.
Author's summary: Clean air investments can transform Amazonian cities.