United Nations: Pollution Deadlier than COVID-19

A United Nations report warns that pollution is leading to more early deaths around the world than the COVID-19 pandemic.

A U.N. environmental report says: "Pollution and toxic¹ substances cause at least 9 million premature² deaths, double the number of deaths inflicted⁴ by the COVID-19 pandemic during its first 18 months."

The U.N. blames pollution released by nations and by companies. The report called for "immediate⁵ and ambitious action" to ban some toxic chemicals.

Results from the report will be presented to the U.N. Human Rights Council when it meets next month.

U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights David Boyd released the report Tuesday. He said that the ways nations are dealing⁶ with "the risks posed by pollution and toxic substances are clearly failing, resulting in widespread violations⁷ of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment."

Last October, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to recognize the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a basic human right. The resolution, which has no legal force, adds to the list of rights that the U.N. considers basic human rights.

The report said pollution from pesticides⁸, plastics and electronic waste is causing widespread human rights violations. Pesticides are chemicals used to kill insects that damage plants or crops.

The report also said pollution causes at least 9 million people around the world to die early, or prematurely⁹, each year. The coronavirus is blamed for about 5.9 million deaths.

The report urges a ban on polyfluoroalkyl, a manufactured substance used in household products such as cookware. The substance has been linked to cancer. It is considered a "forever chemical" because it does not break down easily in the environment.

The report also calls for the clean-up of polluted places. In extreme cases, it urges moving affected¹⁰ communities. These include poor and indigenous¹¹ groups living in what the report calls "sacrifice zones".

That term was first used to describe nuclear test areas where people could no longer live. Its meaning was expanded in the report to include any highly polluted place or a place where people can no longer live because of climate change.

U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet has called environmental threats the biggest global rights problem. Environmental activists¹² are increasingly using human rights laws in climate and environmental cases.

Words in This Story

toxic –adj. containing poisonous substances

inflict³ –v. to cause someone to be affected by something (usually bad or harmful)

ambitious –adj. having a desire to have power or influence

pose –v. to be or create; to present something

sustainable –adj. able to be used without being completely used up or destroyed

indigenous –adj. produced, living or existing in a certain place or environment

global –adj. involving the entire world

1 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

2 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

3 inflict   

vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担

参考例句：

• Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。
• Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。

4 inflicted   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
• Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。

5 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

6 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

7 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

8 pesticides   

n.杀虫剂( pesticide的名词复数 )；除害药物

参考例句：

• vegetables grown without the use of pesticides 未用杀虫剂种植的蔬菜
• There is a lot of concern over the amount of herbicides and pesticides used in farming. 人们对农业上灭草剂和杀虫剂的用量非常担忧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 prematurely   

adv.过早地，贸然地

参考例句：

• She was born prematurely with poorly developed lungs. 她早产，肺部未发育健全。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His hair was prematurely white, but his busy eyebrows were still jet-black. 他的头发已经白了，不过两道浓眉还是乌黑乌黑的。 来自辞典例句

10 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

11 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

12 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》