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Our polluted planet
Smog-filled streets in Delhi or Beijing have become familiar images in relation to air pollution . But how is the rest of India and China , and indeed , the world , faring against the leading cause of environmental death in the world ? The State of Global Air 2017 report , published last week by the Health Effects Institute in collaboration with the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation , is the first edition of an annual publication that aims to provide a global , regional , and country level look at air pollution . It is launched with an interactive website for comparing air pollution levels and health effects worldwide . This year ’ s report focuses on outdoor pollution measures : ambient fine
Beijing pollution red alert particulate matter ( PM2 • 5 ) and ozone . It shows that 92 % of the world ’ s population live in areas over the 10 μg / m3 WHO Air Quality Guideline for annual average PM2 • 5 concentration . 86 % of the most extreme concentrations (> 75 μg / m3 ) were experienced by populations in China , India , Pakistan , and Bangladesh . The highest concentrations of population-weighted average PM2.5 in 2015 were in north Africa and the Middle East , with Qatar , Saudi Arabia , and Egypt being the worst affected countries . For ozone , population-weighted concentrations increased by 7 % globally between 1990 and 2015 .
The health impacts are well documented and substantial . The report shows that , globally , long-term exposure to ambient PM2 • 5 was responsible for around 27 % of deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , 17 % from ischaemic heart disease , 17 % from lung cancer , and 14 % from stroke in 2015 .
Some countries and regions have made progress in decreasing air pollution . The USA and European Union have experienced declines in ozone levels and PM pollution over the past 25 years . These reductions have been achieved through air quality programmes such as the Clean Air Act in the USA . But complacency about progress anywhere in the world would be a mistake in view of the substantial burden of disease caused by pollution . Populations have a right to breathe clean air to protect their health . Concerted action to reduce concentrations of air pollutants should be a long-term goal .
Singapore to raise water rates by 30 per cent
Singapore ’ s Deep Tunnel System Phases I and II are intended to build water resilience
Singapore ’ s Deep Tunnel System Phases I and II are intended to build water resilience “ We have priced water to reflect the higher costs of desalination and NEWater production because every additional drop of water has to come from these two sources ,” said finance minister Heng Swee Keat in a budget speech on Monday 20 February 2017 .
“ The cost of water production and transmission has increased as we build more desalination and NEWater plants , and lay deeper pipes through an urbanised environment . We need to update our water prices to reflect the latest costs of water supply ,” he added .
The price for households will rise by SGD 9 to 8 ($ 6 to $ 11 ) a month . Prices for industry are rising by 27 per cent to SGD 2.74 / m3 ($ 1.94 ) from July 2018 . It ’ s the first increase in the price of water in Singapore for 17 years .
Source : Desalition . biz
Trump signs executive orders on waters rule , black colleges
WASHINGTON — President Trump ’ s newest executive orders target a waterprotection rule and elevate an initiative on historically black colleges and universities into the
Image credit : “ jet ,” rok1966 © 2008
White House .
Trump signed the executive orders in back-to-back signing ceremonies at the White House on Tuesday . The first seeks to undo the Waters of the United States Rule , an Obama administration regulation that sought to reinterpret the Clean Water Act to extend federal protections to smaller rivers and streams .
In a Roosevelt Room ceremony with farmers and
8 Africa Water , Sanitation & Hygiene • March - April 2017