Dhaka, Nov. 23 -- Dion George, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Republic of South Africa has recently underlined that clean air is the new frontier of global cooperation. This has been stressed because the G20's focus on air quality marks a vital step towards protecting health, climate, and sustainable growth.

As the Group of 20 leaders assembled in Johannesburg, clean air features on the agenda as a standalone priority for the first time in the forum's history. [The two-day summit was held on November 22-23.] The reality, however, is stark. Outdoor air pollution claims 5.7 million lives each year, and a report released last week highlights the lack of international development finance for clean air. Only US$ 3.7 billion ...