Health Advisory — LNG and Fracking in British Columbia

A group of doctors and nurses issued a health advisory to the British Columbia government, warning that the expansion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) poses severe risks to public health. They highlight the acceleration of climate change via methane leaks, air pollution causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, water depletion and contamination, and adverse community impacts including mental health issues and human rights violations against Indigenous peoples. The advisory calls for a moratorium on new fracking, stricter pollution regulations, an end to natural gas tie-ins in buildings by 2023, and support for workers and Indigenous communities transitioning to a clean-energy economy.

• The LNG industry significantly accelerates global heating through methane emissions across its supply chain, with methane possessing more than 80 times the warming potential of CO2 over a 20-year period.
• The authors argue that LNG is not an effective transition fuel to replace coal because greenhouse gas emissions from burning LNG and methane leakage throughout the supply chain make it comparable to coal in terms of climate impact.
• Air pollutants from fracking and natural gas combustion, such as nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter, are linked to premature death, cardiovascular disease, lung and other cancers, and childhood asthma.
• Hydraulic fracturing causes significant water depletion, with a single well potentially consuming over 10 million litres of clean water that is permanently removed from the water cycle.
• Water contamination from surface spills and underground migration associated with fracking can lead to reproductive disorders, endocrine disruption, and gastrointestinal problems.
• Communities near fracking sites face physical and mental health burdens, including increased rates of childhood leukaemia, respiratory disease, and neurological and developmental disorders in children, as well as sleep impairment from noise and light pollution.
• Gas development and pipeline construction often occur without the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous peoples, leading to human rights violations and threats to traditional practices.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (n.d.). Health Advisory — LNG and Fracking in British Columbia. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/LNG-Health-Advisory-Letter.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Health Advisory — LNG and Fracking in British Columbia. n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/LNG-Health-Advisory-Letter.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Health Advisory — LNG and Fracking in British Columbia |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/LNG-Health-Advisory-Letter.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironmentndhealth, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Health Advisory — LNG and Fracking in British Columbia}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/LNG-Health-Advisory-Letter.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }