CONCERN over man's harmful effect on the environment has gone from being the preserve of sandal-wearing beardies to the top of the political agenda. As countries squabble about how best to tackle pollution of various sorts, a new OECD report suggests that delaying concerted action would be costly. If current policies prevail, by 2030 ozone pollution alone is likely to cause four times more premature deaths, per head of population, than it did in 2000 (when there were 42,000 such deaths around the world). Asia and North America would be likely to see the biggest rises. Deaths from particulate-matter pollution would double.

(Economist.com, 05/03/2008)