O impacto dos combustíveis fósseis na saúde e a urgência de uma transição justa

This executive summary by the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) details the comprehensive health and environmental impacts of fossil fuels throughout their entire life cycle—from extraction to disposal. It argues that the current dependence on fossil fuels creates a 'triple crisis' of environmental devastation, widespread human health damage, and instability in health systems, necessitating an urgent and just transition to clean energy.

• Fossil fuel pollution impacts human health across all life stages, from fetal development to old age. Prenatal exposure is linked to premature birth, miscarriage, and congenital anomalies, while children are particularly vulnerable due to faster breathing rates and developing organs. In adults and the elderly, exposure is associated with cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, and various cancers, including leukemia.
• Every stage of the fossil fuel life cycle generates specific health risks. Extraction (including fracking and coal mining) releases benzene and heavy metals; refining emits carcinogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs); transport and storage risk chemical spills; combustion produces particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides; and waste products like coal ash cause long-term chronic illness.
• The health impacts of fossil fuels are systemic and persistent, with pollutants like mercury, lead, and arsenic accumulating in soil and water for decades or centuries. This leads to long-term cognitive impairment, renal dysfunction, and cardiovascular diseases that persist long after industrial operations have ceased.
• Fossil fuel impacts are distributed unequally, disproportionately affecting marginalized groups such as indigenous peoples, racial minorities, and low-income populations. These groups often live in 'sacrifice zones' near polluting infrastructure and face systemic barriers to healthcare and safe housing.
• Global fossil fuel subsidies reached an estimated US$ 7 trillion in 2022, according to the IMF. This includes US$ 1.3 trillion in explicit subsidies and US$ 5.7 trillion in implicit subsidies, the latter representing unaccounted social costs such as air pollution and climate damage.
• The document recommends several policy actions: halting new fossil fuel projects to meet the 1.5 °C Paris Agreement goal, redirecting subsidies toward health and renewable energy, and applying the 'polluter pays' principle to internalize health costs currently borne by public systems.
• The GCHA advocates for a 'just transition' that goes beyond switching energy sources to include equitable access to resources, environmental remediation, and economic opportunities for workers. It warns that the current acceleration of critical mineral extraction must apply lessons from fossil fuels to avoid repeating the same human rights and environmental errors.

APA

Global Climate and Health Alliance (n.d.). O impacto dos combustíveis fósseis na saúde e a urgência de uma transição justa. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/C2G-PORT_EXE-SUMMARY.pdf

Chicago

Global Climate and Health Alliance. O impacto dos combustíveis fósseis na saúde e a urgência de uma transição justa. n.d. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/C2G-PORT_EXE-SUMMARY.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Climate and Health Alliance |title=O impacto dos combustíveis fósseis na saúde e a urgência de uma transição justa |url=https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/C2G-PORT_EXE-SUMMARY.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalclimateandhealthalliancendimpacto, author = {{Global Climate and Health Alliance}}, title = {{O impacto dos combustíveis fósseis na saúde e a urgência de uma transição justa}}, institution = {Global Climate and Health Alliance}, url = {https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/C2G-PORT_EXE-SUMMARY.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }