The World Bank has issued a stark warning about the growing economic toll of environmental degradation, urging governments worldwide to take immediate action. In a new report released ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, the institution emphasizes that land degradation, air pollution, and water stress are no longer distant threats. These ecological pressures are actively undermining global prosperity and disproportionately harming low-income nations.

Triple Threat Hits the Poorest Hardest

Axel van Trotsenburg, Senior Managing Director at the World Bank, highlighted that around 80 percent of people in low-income countries face all three environmental risks simultaneously. Countries like Burundi and Malawi are especially hard-hit. In Burundi, 8 million people face both water risks and air pollution, while 7 million are exposed to severe land degradation. In Malawi, 12 million people are affected by all three environmental stressors.

According to van Trotsenburg, the World Bank’s mission remains clear despite geopolitical tensions and cuts to aid budgets in donor countries. “Our commitment is ending poverty on a livable planet, full stop. We will not waver on this,” he stated.

Nearly the Entire Planet Is Affected

The report reveals that 90 percent of the global population faces at least one of the three key threats: polluted air, degraded land, or water stress. It calls on governments to repurpose subsidies currently used to support harmful activities, and instead invest in sustainable development and nature-based solutions.

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By highlighting the interconnectedness of environmental and economic systems, the report makes the case that failing to address ecological damage is no longer an option for global development.

Deforestation Drains Rainfall and Agricultural Output

One of the report’s most striking findings centers on the Amazon rainforest. It estimates that forests help form nearly half of the world’s rain clouds. Widespread deforestation, particularly in the nine-country Amazon region, has cut rainfall at an economic cost of $14 billion annually. This reduced rainfall also weakens the landscape’s ability to store and gradually release moisture, amplifying droughts and disrupting agricultural systems.

Globally, this dynamic results in a $379 billion hit to agriculture, equal to 8 percent of the sector’s economic output. The report argues that these impacts are not abstract future risks but real losses happening today.

The “Grow Now, Clean Up Later” Myth

In presenting the findings, Richard Damania, Chief Economist for Sustainable Development at the World Bank and a co-author of the report, rejected the longstanding belief that environmental clean-up can wait until after economic growth is achieved.

“We’ve often had this mantra that countries need to grow first, pollute, and clean up later. What this evidence is telling you is that is simply false,” said Damania. He emphasized that ecological destruction is already undercutting growth potential and eroding development gains, especially in vulnerable regions.

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Next Steps for Policymakers

With COP30 fast approaching and scrutiny mounting over how multilateral institutions will address environmental breakdown, the World Bank says it will provide data-driven insights to member governments. This includes backing policy discussions with evidence on how restoring ecosystems can unlock economic resilience, reduce public health risks, and protect food and water security.

The message is clear: pollution and nature loss are no longer side issues. They are core economic threats requiring urgent collective action.

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