The United Nations is marking World Environment Day today with a focus on air pollution, which kills approximately 800 people each hour but receives little attention. "Air pollution clearly violates the rights to life and health, the rights of the child, and the right to live in a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment," says David Boyd, UN special rapporteur on human rights and the environment.

Green investments have increased by 34% since 2016 and total at least $30.7 trillion, according to a Global Sustainable Investment Alliance report. Funds are also moving away from fossil fuels, as 1,048 institutions managing $8.73 trillion had a strategy in place that restricts fossil fuel funding as of mid-May, according to a 350.org study.

The Environmental Protection Agency's upcoming Affordable Clean Energy rule, ACE, is meant to replace the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan, CPP. Energy attorney and consultant Terry Jarrett writes, "[T]he ACE offers a realistic plan to address climate concerns while still ensuring the future reliability of America's power grid."

PFAS contamination is a growing concern for municipal water managers in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and other Western states, where monitoring and tracking tend to be relatively limited, Paige Blankenbuehler writes. Various entities in Colorado and New Mexico are suing over the chemicals, and Suzanne Novak of Earthjustice has criticized the EPA for not including drinking water standards for PFAS in its guidelines.

Hungary is planning to build a $1.1 billion town in the northwest part of the country that will use solar and biogas power and could create up to 5,000 permanent jobs. The project will also feature geothermal cooling and a sustainable water management policy.

May 2019 notable global catastrophic events include: Prolonged US severe weather and flooding prompts multi-billion-dollar insurance industry payout; Cyclone Fani makes India landfall and causes estimated $2 billion in direct economic cost; and significant flooding affects parts of the US, Poland, Germany, China and the Middle East. Read more.

Can health technology -- particularly wearable trackers and apps that can be conveniently accessed via mobile devices -- improve the world's well-being by promoting healthier lifestyles? While health is personal, the role of an employer is critical. By using the data from this new technology, employers can create and scale more targeted well-being programs that encourage better health decisions across their workforce. Learn more.