The entire problem of pollution can also be simply viewed as “waste mismanagement”. That too mismanagement most often due to the lack of government oversight.
People in developing countries are struggling with the basics (namely, food, shelter, education, and basic healthcare). These are the same countries where the lack of emissions oversight and energy access (both cleaner and clean energy) injures the poorest and most vulnerable. When governments do not properly regulate and fund the oversight and monitoring of waste management, it is the public health that suffers first, which means that both health and economic opportunity for the most vulnerable suffer too.
Pollution is not required for economic growth. That narrative is mistaken. Growth in any country requires pollution to be controlled or eliminated. Low-cost environmental monitoring (air, water, and even soil) will enable the general public to be empowered to challenge the policymakers to force them to accelerate Clean Energy which provides the co-benefits of both health improvements, economic growth, and the reduction of CO2 emissions and other climate pollutants.
