The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
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
- Exterior wide shot: UN flag alley UN Geneva.
- Cutaway: Wide shot, Press room, UN Geneva.
- 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.”
- Cutaway: medium shot, journalists listening.
- 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.”
- Cutaway: medium shot, journalists listening.
- 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.”
- Cutaway: wide shot, journalists.
- 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”.
- Various: medium shot, press conference room, speakers at podium, journalists.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk made the following remarks to the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar at the 63rd Human Rights Council.
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today delivered an update on the global human rights situation to the 63rdsession of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Repeated attacks on humanitarian warehouses put vital medical aid at risk in Ukraine - WHO
A new airstrike overnight damaged one of the main warehouses used by the UN health agency to store humanitarian medical supplies in the Kyiv region, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. This is the third attack to affect a WHO-used storage in the last three months.
2
2
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | WMO
Powerful El Niño heightens extreme-weather risks through 2027, as countries brace for impact - WMO
Fuelled by extraordinarily warm waters across the tropical Pacific Ocean, the El Niño climate pattern is expected to intensify in the coming months. Forecasters are almost certain that it will persist through February next year, with unusually warm conditions expected across the globe.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UN WOMEN , WHO
Nepal flood deaths near 1,000 as those spared struggle to survive – UN humanitarians
With the death toll in Nepal’s catastrophic flash floods inching towards 1,000, rescue workers are facing harsh conditions while survivors lack access to food, safe water and health care, humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNDRR , IFRC , WHO
Nepal: Flooding disaster “not over” as humanitarians work around the clock
While search and rescue efforts continued Friday following flash floods and mudslides in northern Nepal, UN humanitarians are taking stock of the devastation amid concerns over more flooding to come.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL
Damaged roads, disrupted services and renewed military activity are putting civilians at risk in south Lebanon, UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) warns.
The UN peacekeeping mission is urging restraint and renewed political engagement to prevent further escalation.
1
1
1
Edited News | ICRC , UNODA
Amid unconfirmed reports that fully autonomous and AI-guided drones are now being used on the battlefield, UN chief António Guterres and the President of the Red Cross on Tuesday renewed their urgent call for stricter controls, before it is too late.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Somalia: child hunger surges as humanitarian aid dries up – UNICEF
The global funding crisis for vital lifesaving work is taking a growing toll on the most vulnerable children in Somalia, where hundreds of health and nutrition facilities have been forced to close, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
As the deadliest Ebola outbreak in DR Congo’s history continued spreading on Friday, UN responders renewed their urgent appeal for immediate international support, with existing funding for lifesaving work critically low.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
DRC: In the fight against Ebola, bikers transporting dead bodies hold key to community engagement - WHO
From the frontlines of the deadliest-ever Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) shared details on Tuesday of a massive push for community engagement, a day after yet another ambulance attack.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNFPA
Sudan: The harrowing reality of giving birth in a war zone
Sudanese women about to give birth are losing their babies and sometimes their own lives because of a lack of specialist healthcare support, amid the ongoing war, UN humanitarians said on Friday.