India can make green growth a reality by putting in place strategies to reduce environmental degradation at the minimal cost of 0.02% to 0.04% of average annual GDP growth rate, says a new World Bank titled “Diagnostic Assessment of Select Environmental Challenges in India”., According to the report, the annual cost of environmental degradation in India amounts to about Rs.3.75 trillion, equivalent to 5.7% of GDP. It focuses on particle pollution from the burning of fossil fuels, which has serious health consequences amounting to up to 3% of India’s GDP along with losses due to lack of access to clean water supply, sanitation and hygiene. Of this, the impacts of outdoor air pollution account for the highest share at 1.7% followed by cost of indoor air pollution at 1.3%. A significant portion of diseases caused by poor water supply, sanitation and hygiene is borne by children under 5. About 23% of child mortality in the country could be attributed to environmental degradation, the report says.
