De la cuna a la tumba

The report 'De la cuna a la tumba' (From Cradle to Grave) details how fossil fuel production and use cause systemic health damage across all human life stages, from fetal development to old age. It highlights the disproportionate burden on marginalized communities and indigenous peoples, who often live in 'sacrifice zones.' The document maps specific health risks associated with extraction, refining, transport, and combustion, while also addressing the social disruptions and human rights violations linked to the industry. It concludes with a set of policy recommendations to end fossil fuel exploration, eliminate subsidies, and internalize health costs under the 'polluter pays' principle to achieve a just energy transition.

• Fossil fuel pollution affects every stage of human life, with prenatal exposure linked to low birth weight, premature birth, spontaneous abortion, and congenital anomalies.
• Children are uniquely vulnerable to fossil fuel pollutants due to faster breathing rates and developing organs, facing higher risks of childhood leukemia, asthma, and cognitive impairment.
• The extraction phase releases benzene, heavy metals, and radioactive materials, while refining emits carcinogenic chemicals like toluene and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• Combustion of fossil fuels is a primary driver of global air pollution, with PM2.5 and ozone contributing to approximately 8.34 million excess deaths annually worldwide.
• Marginalized groups, including indigenous peoples and racial minorities, are disproportionately situated in 'sacrifice zones' with high pollution levels and limited healthcare access.
• Fossil fuel projects often cause forced displacement, loss of traditional livelihoods, and increased rates of substance abuse and domestic violence in local communities.
• The industry employs systemic strategies of disinformation, greenwashing, and political lobbying to obstruct climate action and maintain the use of fossil fuels.
• Global fossil fuel subsidies reached an estimated 7 trillion USD in 2022, with 5.7 trillion USD representing implicit costs such as health damages and climate impacts.
• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is characterized as a 'dangerous distraction' that may only contribute 2% of necessary emission reductions by 2030 and can introduce new toxic risks.
• The production of plastics and agrochemicals serves as a 'Plan B' for the oil industry to maintain profits as the world shifts toward renewable energy for electricity.
• Climate change creates 'cascading risks' where extreme weather events damage fossil fuel infrastructure, leading to further toxic leaks and environmental disasters.

APA

Global Climate and Health Alliance (n.d.). De la cuna a la tumba. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/C2G-Report-low-res-Spanish.pdf

Chicago

Global Climate and Health Alliance. De la cuna a la tumba. n.d. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/C2G-Report-low-res-Spanish.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Climate and Health Alliance |title=De la cuna a la tumba |url=https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/C2G-Report-low-res-Spanish.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalclimateandhealthalliancendcuna, author = {{Global Climate and Health Alliance}}, title = {{De la cuna a la tumba}}, institution = {Global Climate and Health Alliance}, url = {https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/C2G-Report-low-res-Spanish.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }