Frequently Asked Questions on Cradle to Grave Report

The 'Cradle to Grave' report is a comprehensive global overview of the health impacts of fossil fuels, spanning from extraction to waste and from fetal development to old age. Grounded in over 600 scientific citations, it argues that fossil fuel reliance is a 'public health emergency' rather than just an environmental issue. The document highlights that fossil fuels cause immediate harms—including cancers, respiratory illnesses, and cardiovascular disease—and that 'clean' fossil fuel narratives are marketing strategies. It advocates for a rapid, just transition to renewable energy, the redirection of $7 trillion in fossil fuel subsidies toward public health and clean energy, and the application of the precautionary principle where research gaps exist.

• The 'Cradle to Grave' report is the first global overview to document health harms across the entire industrial lifecycle of fossil fuels (extraction, transport, combustion, and waste) and the entire human lifespan (from fetal development to old age).
• The report's evidence base consists of over 600 scientific citations, peer-reviewed research, case studies, and firsthand accounts, linking fossil fuel pollutants to specific conditions such as benzene and leukemia, and PM2.5 and heart disease.
• The analysis uses the World Health Organization's broad definition of health to include not only disease and mortality but also societal costs such as displacement, inequality, and the corruption of democratic processes.
• The document asserts that 'clean fossil fuels' and carbon capture are 'dangerous distractions' and marketing strategies; for example, gas continues to emit methane, NO₂, and VOCs that harm the heart and lungs.
• Direct and indirect subsidies to the fossil fuel industry reached $7 trillion in 2022, funds which the document argues should be redirected into public health systems and clean energy.
• While acknowledging that mining critical minerals for renewables carries risks, the document argues that renewables are superior because they do not emit ongoing toxic pollution at every lifecycle stage nor drive catastrophic warming.
• The document argues that fossil gas is not a health-based solution for clean cooking due to the release of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, suggesting electric induction and decentralized renewables as alternatives.

APA

Global Climate and Health Alliance (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions on Cradle to Grave Report. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cradle-to-GraveFAQ.pdf

Chicago

Global Climate and Health Alliance. Frequently Asked Questions on Cradle to Grave Report. n.d. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cradle-to-GraveFAQ.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Climate and Health Alliance |title=Frequently Asked Questions on Cradle to Grave Report |url=https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cradle-to-GraveFAQ.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalclimateandhealthalliancendfrequently, author = {{Global Climate and Health Alliance}}, title = {{Frequently Asked Questions on Cradle to Grave Report}}, institution = {Global Climate and Health Alliance}, url = {https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Cradle-to-GraveFAQ.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }