are critical if this agenda is to be achieved. Effective governance solutions to improve multilevel and multi-country cooperation and harmonization across scales include improved management of interdependencies to reduce interregional inequalities. Bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral environmental treaties are important governance mechanisms for achieving inclusive and sustainable development across knowledge systems. {11.4, 19.1, 23, 14}


4.4 The benefits that will result from following more sustainable future pathways


Investments in policies that address environmental issues promote human health and well-being, prosperity and resilient societies (well established). Mobilizing financial resources for sustainable development is necessary to resolve environmental problems and ensure environmental protection, especially in developing countries. Sustainable future pathways are intended to create a “healthy planet, healthy people”. A healthy planet will result in people who live longer, healthier lives: nearly one quarter of all deaths globally in 2012 could be attributed to modifiable environmental risks, with a greater portion occurring in populations in a vulnerable situation and in developing countries. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goal targets on hunger, access to safe drinking water and sanitation and modern energy


services could reduce deaths in children under 5 related to malnutrition, diarrhoea and lower respiratory infections by more than 400,000 per year by 2030. Furthermore, air pollution is the largest environmental health risk and is projected to continue to have significant negative effects on health, with scenario studies estimating between 4.5 million and 7 million premature deaths by mid-century under a business-as-usual scenario. Combined climate and air pollution policies could reduce those numbers significantly. {5.4.1, 21.3.3, 21.3.6, 22.3.2, 22.3.5, 23.12, 24.4}


Improved health outcomes have significant economic benefits (through a larger and healthier labour force), as well as demographic implications (established but incomplete). The health co-benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants can outweigh the costs of mitigation. For example, global health savings for reaching a 2 degrees Celsius target are estimated to be approximately US$54 trillion, compared with global policy costs of approximately US$22 trillion. Decreased child and maternal mortality, especially when combined with female education and access to sexual and reproductive health services, including modern contraception, is likely to lead to lower fertility rates in the longer term, curbing population growth, one of the major drivers of environmental degradation, thus highlighting the fact that healthy people can also support a healthy planet. {2.3, 22.3.5, 24.4}


22


Summary for Policymakers: Sixth Global Environment Outlook


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