WB: Air pollution Costs Middle East, North Africa about $141Bln Annually

The World Bank (WB) announced in a report published on Monday that air pollution costs the countries in the Middle East and North Africa about $141 billion annually, calling on countries in the region to make their economies "greener."

The report pointed out that the cost of air pollution, in addition to pollution of the seas and coasts, is "estimated at more than 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)" in some countries in the region, such as Egypt, Lebanon, and Yemen.

The World Bank noted that "air pollution levels in major cities in the region are among the highest in the world.”

"Productivity drops if residents are unable to work after they or their family members fall ill due to air pollution," said the report, titled "Clear Skies, Clear Seas," adding, "Healthcare costs can be a huge burden on inpiduals and governments."

According to the report, every person residing in the region will spend at least 60 sick days during their lifetime due to air pollution, and urban residents will breathe on average more than 10 times the level of pollutants in the air considered safe by the World Health Organization (WHO).