Dirty air kills around 7 million people prematurely every year. Each one of those lives are shortened by 19 years on average.

The human costs are sobering, but the economic impacts matter too. Poor health caused by air pollution costs the world economy $8.1 trillion per year through worker absence, lower productivity and other issues.

Burning fossil fuels and biomass for energy are the worst culprits, but industrial processes and agriculture also contribute significantly. A UN agency estimated that in 2008, just 3,000 companies accounted for 54% of outdoor air pollution.

Companies can act by assessing and mitigating their emissions throughout their operations. Investors can play a key role through where they invest capital, and stewarding companies towards reducing air pollution and driving corporate transparency.

This pathbreaking new guide for investors and companies offers practical steps they can take to start protecting people and the economy.