Diseases and level of development

• India:

  Most populous country; 1.4billion people, HDI 0.633

  Pollution lowers life expectancy of 1/2 population by 3 years

  Urban residents of New Delhi (capital) and Hyderabad expect to live for 5 to 10 less years

  21 of the 30 most polluted cities globally are in India.

  99% of Indians breathe air above the WHO’s “safe” levels of PM 2.5
• Air pollution here is largely caused by particulate matter (PM), like NO2, S02 and O3, emitted from vehicles, factories and coal-based factories. Biomass in rural areas also contributes to this: burning paraffin and animal excrement increases indoor air pollution so much that up to 1 million people die prematurely annually because of this. This is visible as photochemical smog - which can cause acid rain.
• Social and economic impacts: responsible for 1.67 million deaths, $28.8 billion loss in output. Negatively impacts it's Age of Receding Pandemics (Stage 2) of the epidemiological transition model (increase in life expectancy is being lowered): in Delhi PM 2.5 (particulates) are 24x higher the safe level: reduces brain function, educational and professional attainments due to mutations in the brain. This reduces the contribution of work, even if they do the shortened life expectancy will lower the time the work for, earn, spend and invest in the economy.