Pollution Kills 10 Million Children a Year

rio de janeiro. june 8 92(ips) -- ten of 14 million infant deaths each year are related to environmental destruction, pollution, and the effects of development, said james grant, director of the united nations children's fund (unicef), in brazil monday.

grant, in rio to participate in the united nations conference for environment and development (unced), told delegates from some 170 countries that allowing so many deaths is an ''obscenity.''

''children and the environment are one and the same, and in both cases a change of values is needed to be able to solve the problem. it is essentially an ethical question,'' grant told ips.

he said that the two principal causes of infant mortality -- severe respiratory infections and diarrhea -- are linked to environmental problems.

many other deaths are related to poverty, considered one of the major problems of this time and, according to grant, an example of what he calls ''social pollution.''

the director of unicef pointed out that the world's two billion children make up 20 percent of the current world population, ''but they represent 100 percent of humanity's future.''

''in the '90s for the first time we can talk of bringing the benefits of progress to every family on earth,'' because civilization now has the necessary resources to carry out such a proposition, he said.

grant said that this is ''the very best moment'' to reach this goal, because we are living in a time of dramatic worldwide change including widespread democratisation and a growing awareness of future threats.

unicef's goal at the summit is not limited to showing children as victims of pollution; it is also proposes to include them as players in the task of rescuing the world's environment.

grant commented that children generally possess an environmental conscience, and with adequate organisation, they can become an element of pressure in their communities. moreover, he added that if they receive environmental education, in the future there will be no wasteful adults. (end/ips/trd/lc/mso/fm/lp/92)

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