Bi-Weekly Press Briefing: World No Tobacco Day 2022 - WHO
/
1:37
/
MP4
/
119.7 MB

Edited News | WHO

Bi-Weekly Press Briefing: World No Tobacco Day 2022 - WHO

Tobacco lays waste to the environment, besides killing 8 million people a year – UN health agency

Tobacco not only kills over eight million people a year, but its consumption also has a devastating impact on the environment.

That’s the message on World No Tobacco Day, marked on 31 May, from the UN health agency which warned that tobacco products are linked to deforestation and biodiversity loss. “The tobacco industry is one of the world’s worst polluters, causing deforestation, water waste, air pollution, and littered beaches, parks and city sidewalks,” said Dr. Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion at the World Health Organization (WHO).

To put it into perspective, Dr. Krech explained that “the trees cut down to make way for tobacco growing make up five per cent of global deforestation. An area roughly half the size of Cap Verde disappears every year.” That is a total of 600 million trees chopped down, with 84 million tons of carbon dioxide released into the air, and 22 billion tons of water -that’s about 9 million Olympic-sized swimming pools- used globally to make cigarettes according to WHO.

Make tobacco industry accountable

Cigarettes and e-cigarettes are the primary contributors to the build-up of plastic pollution. Non-biodegradable cigarette butts are the most discarded waste item worldwide and the second-highest form of plastic pollution. With no evidence that filters have any proven health benefits, WHO is calling on policymakers to ban cigarette filters and to make the industry more accountable for the damage it is causing.

“WHO urges countries to create legislation enforcing the tobacco industry to be responsible for cleaning up their deadly tobacco products and paying for damaging the environment. This would spare $240 million for German taxpayers every year, $760 million for Indian taxpayers, and $2.6 billion for Chinese,” Doctor Krech explained.

He added: “Governments should immediately stop subsidizing tobacco growth. Annually, this deadly industry is subsidized with $500 billion which is also taxpayers’ money”.

Countries like France and Spain and cities like San Francisco, in the US have taken a stand. Following the “polluter pays” principle, they have successfully implemented “extended producer responsibility legislation” which makes the tobacco industry responsible for clearing up the pollution it creates. WHO has urged countries and cities to follow this example, while also supporting tobacco farmers to switch to sustainable crops, implement strong tobacco taxes and offer support services to help people quit smoking.

Ends

  1. Exterior wide shot: UN flag alley UN Geneva.
  2. Cutaway: Wide shot, Press room, UN Geneva.
  3. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion (WHO): “The tobacco industry is one of the world’s worst polluters, causing deforestation, water waste, air pollution, and littered beaches, parks and city sidewalks.”
  4. Cutaway: medium shot, journalists listening.
  5. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion (WHO): “The trees cut down to make way for tobacco growing make up five per cent of global deforestation. An area roughly half the size of Cap Verde disappears every year.”
  6. Cutaway: medium shot, journalists listening.
  7. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion (WHO): “WHO urges countries to create legislation enforcing the tobacco industry to be responsible for cleaning up their deadly tobacco products and paying for damaging the environment. This would spare $240 million for German taxpayers every year, ($)760 (million) for Indian taxpayers, and ($) 2.6 billion for Chinese.”
  8. Cutaway: wide shot, journalists.
  9. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion (WHO): “Governments should immediately stop subsidizing tobacco growth. Annually, this deadly industry is subsidized with $500 billion which is also taxpayers’ money”.
  10. Various: medium shot, press conference room, speakers at podium, journalists.

Similar Stories

DRC  UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu   Ravina Shamdasani UN Human Rights Spokesperson

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

DRC UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu Ravina Shamdasani UN Human Rights Spokesperson ENG FRA

A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025 ENG FRA

As billions of people continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling half-way across the world.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence made the following comment on the on-going presidential election process in Cameroon at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office released a new report on Myanmar, describing death, destruction and desperation which reflect atrocities committed in 2017. 

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR ENG FRA

Afghanistan: Humanitarians scramble to reach survivors of deadly quake; response at ‘breaking point’

In remote eastern Afghanistan, aid workers are racing to assist survivors of Sunday’s devastating earthquake as the death toll continues to climb, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA ENG FRA

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, repeated his urgent call for a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday, amid increased military Israeli activity in the enclave’s largest city.

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025 ENG FRA

Amid reports of increased Israeli military operations across Gaza City on Friday, UN aid agencies repeated urgent warnings of ongoing famine and a likely rise in preventable disease, linked to the dire living conditions in the war-shattered enclave.

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran ENG FRA

UN calls for Iran to halt executions and move towards ending the death penalty.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following comment on the killing of journalists in Gaza at the bi-weekly press briefing.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called on Egyptian authorities to end the practice known as “rotation”, which allows Government critics to be held arbitrarily and for prolonged periods.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Sudan attacks

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Sudan attacks ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on deadly attacks by the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan 

Gaza City famine – UN OCHA, WFP, WHO, OHCHR 22 August 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , OHCHR , UNITED NATIONS , WFP , WHO

Gaza City famine – UN OCHA, WFP, WHO, OHCHR 22 August 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza: Famine “irrefutably” confirmed, UN humanitarians unite in plea for aid access

Famine has been confirmed in Gaza Governorate by the world’s top authority on food security and will spread further within the Strip unless fighting stops and much more aid is allowed in, UN humanitarians said on Friday.