Ozone pollution causes billions of dollars in crop losses in Asia: Study

BEIJING - An estimated US$63 billion (S$85 billion) in crop losses are caused by ozone pollution in East Asia, says a new study, urging countries to take action to reduce emissions to protect food production.

Crop losses were found to be greatest in China, where the average level of surface ozone was more than six times the "critical level for plant health protection", said the study, which was published in the journal Nature Food on Tuesday (Jan 18).