Final answer:
Air pollution is recognized as the most lethal environmental problem worldwide, contributing to 2.4 million deaths annually, including 2 million due to indoor air pollution. Children in low-income countries are particularly affected, with respiratory infections from IAP, as well as diarrheal diseases and malaria being top causes of mortality. Traditional environmental hazards intensified by modern risks result in higher health burdens in developing countries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The environmental problem that is most lethal to people worldwide is air pollution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 2.4 million people die each year from causes directly linked to air pollution. This includes both outdoor and indoor environments, with indoor air pollution (IAP) causing about 2 million deaths each year, particularly among poor women and children exposed to unprocessed solid fuels in inefficient stoves. Children in low-income countries are especially susceptible to environmental health issues, with the top killers being acute respiratory infections from IAP, diarrheal diseases due to poor water and sanitation, and infectious diseases like malaria. The intersection of malnutrition, poor sanitary conditions, waterborne diseases, and inadequate medical care exacerbates these issues, leading to a significant number of deaths. In these settings, traditional environmental hazards are compounded by modern risks such as urban air pollution and chemical pollution, with the burdens of illness and death from environmental risks being substantially higher in developing countries compared to affluent nations.