Thriving Nations, Healthier Planet: How Alleviating Poverty is Key to Environmental Recovery

Earth Day is here, and with it comes a wave of worries about our planet’s future. It seems like every day we hear bleak predictions about environmental disasters and climate collapse. However, it’s important to remember that there’s also a lot to celebrate.

Fifty-five years ago, when Earth Day first started, the world faced serious environmental issues. Rivers were polluted, cities suffered from thick smog, and air and water quality were poor, especially in industrialized nations. Fast forward to today: air pollution in wealthy countries has decreased significantly. Statistics show that the risk of dying from air pollution has dropped by over 70% in the last 30 years, and efforts to clean waterways are paying off as nations work to reforest their lands.

However, things are more complex in developing countries. As these nations grow and industrialize, pollution often increases initially before they can afford to tackle it head-on. Yet, progress is occurring. For example, China, once infamous for its pollution levels, is now actively working to clean its air and waterways. According to the World Health Organization, deaths related to outdoor air pollution have slightly decreased in poorer nations due to reductions in sulfur emissions.

Even with this progress, we often overlook the more dangerous problem of indoor air pollution. Many people in developing regions still rely on solid fuels like wood and dung for cooking and heating. This results in indoor air quality that can be far worse than the smog of big cities. In fact, around 2.1 billion people live in homes with air pollution levels equivalent to smoking two packs of cigarettes daily. Each year, over 3 million lives are lost due to indoor air pollution alone.

Despite these challenges, there’s good news to share. Since 1990, indoor air pollution has been cut by more than half in less wealthy regions, saving over 4 million lives annually. How did this happen? As countries develop and prosperity increases, people move away from harmful fuels toward cleaner energy sources like natural gas and electricity. This shift not only improves health but also shows that economic growth can lead to better environmental care.

Nonetheless, Earth Day and the broader environmental discourse often tend to focus on fear and dramatic predictions rather than practical solutions. Many alarming forecasts from the 1970s, like running out of resources or catastrophic overpopulation, have proven exaggerated or wrong. These warnings have shaped a culture that emphasizes panic rather than progress.

Similarly, climate change is a real concern, but it is not the end of the world. Remarkably, climate-related deaths from disasters such as floods, storms, and droughts have plummeted by 98% in the last century. Our ability to adapt and innovate has made us much more resilient to these challenges.

As we celebrate Earth Day, let’s focus on the progress we’ve made and continue making strides toward a healthier planet. The narrative should be about how prosperity and innovation can drive environmental improvement, not about succumbing to fear. Investing in clean energy could further reduce pollution and save millions of lives.

By working together, we can foster a positive future for our planet, one that celebrates achievements while tackling ongoing environmental challenges head-on.

Bjorn Lomborg is the president of the Copenhagen Consensus and a visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution.

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