What percentage of global deaths are attributed to environmental causes?

• A. 5%
• B. 23%
• C. 40%
• D. 60%

Answer: (B)

Environmental factors shape health outcomes in big ways, contributing to a large share of deaths through routes like air pollution, contaminated water and poor sanitation, exposure to hazardous chemicals, and climate-related events. When researchers estimate how many deaths could be avoided by reducing environmental risks, they come to about one-quarter of all deaths—roughly 23%. This figure captures the combined impact of diverse environmental risks across regions and populations, and it aligns with major health organization assessments. The other options fall short or overshoot what these comprehensive risk estimates show: 5% underestimates the reach of environmental harms, while 40% and 60% imply a much higher share than current evidence supports.