The biggest environmental killer, outdoor air pollution, initially increases as incomes go up, but then it starts declining as individuals become even richer. Put simply, when immediate concerns like hunger and infectious diseases are tackled, people start demanding more environmental regulations.11 Deforestation follows the same pattern. We see vast deforestation in poor countries because there is a strong need for more development, but as countries get richer they become more likely to reforest, in part because citizens increasingly demand more biodiversity and nature.12 All of which is to
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