Frequently Asked Questions on Cradle to Grave Report

This fact sheet provides frequently asked questions regarding the 'Cradle to Grave' report, which offers a global overview of the health and societal harms associated with the entire lifecycle of fossil fuels and their impact across the human lifespan.

• The 'Cradle to Grave' report is the first comprehensive global analysis to document health harms across the full industrial lifecycle of fossil fuels—including extraction, transport, combustion, and waste—and across the human lifespan from fetal development to old age.
• The report utilizes the World Health Organization's definition of health, which encompasses complete physical, mental, and social well-being, to include societal costs such as inequality, displacement, and the corruption of democratic processes as tangible health impacts.
• The evidence base for the report consists of over 600 scientific citations, including peer-reviewed research, grey literature, legal documents, and firsthand accounts, establishing links between fossil fuel pollutants and conditions such as leukemia (benzene), heart disease (PM2.5), and mercury poisoning (coal).
• The document argues that 'clean fossil fuels' and carbon capture are marketing strategies and 'dangerous distractions' that do not prevent health damage from pollution, spills, or extraction, noting that gas continues to emit methane, NO₂, and VOCs.
• Direct and indirect subsidies for fossil fuels reached $7 trillion in 2022, while the report suggests these funds should be redirected toward public health systems, clean energy, and community resilience.
• The report highlights that fossil fuel infrastructure can increase risks during climate disasters, citing the Murphy Oil spill in St. Bernard Parish during Hurricane Katrina as an example of toxic contamination compounding a disaster.
• Regarding energy poverty and cooking, the document states that fossil gases like LPG are not health-based solutions because they release nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter; it recommends electric induction cooking and decentralized renewables instead.

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} }