World Bank urges fresh push on economic threat of pollution

By Simon Jessop and Marc Jones

LONDON (Reuters) -Degraded land, polluted air and water stress pose a direct global economic threat but using natural resources more efficiently could cut pollution by half, one of the World Bank's senior managing directors told Reuters.

The damage is particularly acute for low-income countries most at threat from poverty, climate change and biodiversity loss, Axel van Trotsenburg said.

Speaking alongside the publication of a new report on Monday, he said around 80% of people in low-income nations were exposed to all three and the World Bank was committed to responding even as many countries cut aid budgets.

"Our commitment... is ending poverty on a liveable planet, full stop. We will not waver on this," van Trotsenburg said.

Among the most impacted coun