Air pollution health timebomb poses a major threat to development

A World Health Organisation report shows little escape from poisoned air in poorer countries, resulting in 3 million premature deaths worldwide a year

Countries are finding that the urban economic development to which they aspire brings poisoned air, ill-health, massive costs, a low quality of life and, probably, an early death for a very great many people.

That is the stark conclusion from a reading of the new database of outdoor air quality from the World Health Organisation (WHO), for 3,000 of the world's cities. While millions of people in rich countries suffer the cancers, heart and respiratory diseases that air pollution brings, the levels of air pollution in many Asian and African cities are said to be five or even 10 times worse.