6 Jun 2009

In pictures: World's poor overwhelmed

Garbage-A-child-swims-in

Cilincing, one of the poorest communities of Jakarta in Indonesia which has very poor access to clean drinking water (Photograph: BEAWIHARTA/Reuters)

World Environment Day was established by the UN in 1972 to give a human face to environmental issues. But as these images show, developing countries suffer the worst effects of waste and pollution, often produced by rich countries, which can lead to premature death and birth defects.

Garbage-A-cow-feeds-on

New Delhi, India. (Photograph: DAVID GUTTENFELDER/AP)

More pictures on Guardian.co.uk