Air Pollution Costs 5% of Global GDP, Yet Receives Just 1% of Development Funding: UNDP Report
Published on: June 21, 2026, 9:41 a.m. | Source: Devdiscourse
A new UNDP–Clean Air Fund report warns that air pollution causes 7.9 million deaths annually and costs the global economy about 5% of GDP, yet receives only 1% of international development funding, largely due to institutional, financial and regulatory barriers in low- and middle-income countries. The report calls on governments, development partners and private investors to integrate air quality into economic planning, strengthen regulations, reform fossil-fuel subsidies and build investment-ready projects to unlock larger flows of public and private finance for clean air solutions.
