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The document examines the ubiquity of airborne micro- and nanoplastics, detailing how they originate from diverse sources, travel long distances via the atmosphere, and enter the human body through inhalation and ingestion. It highlights the 'Trojan Horse' effect, where these particles carry toxic chemicals and pathogens into internal organs, potentially causing respiratory diseases, endocrine disruption, and developmental issues. The briefing concludes that current voluntary measures are insufficient and calls for legally binding global regulations to reduce plastic production and phase out hazardous chemicals.

Climate change is extending the U.S. allergy season through warming temperatures and increased CO2, which stimulate allergen production and lengthen the freeze-free growing season. These trends increase health risks, particularly for asthma sufferers, and contribute to significant economic costs. The document highlights regional variations, the role of 'thunderstorm asthma,' and the disproportionate impact on low-income and minority communities.

The report demonstrates that implementing five core policies—clean electricity standards, zero-emission vehicle standards, clean building equipment standards, industrial efficiency and emissions standards, and methane detection and capture standards—can dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions in Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Using the Energy Policy Simulator (EPS), the authors find that these policies not only reduce emissions but also drive job growth, increase GDP, and prevent premature deaths by reducing air pollutants. The analysis highlights that while state emissions profiles vary—with Louisiana dominated by industry and New Mexico by methane from oil and gas—these five policies provide a consistent framework for decarbonization.

The document challenges the National Air Quality Officer's (NAQO) decisions to allow Eskom to delay compliance with emission standards. It argues that such postponements are unlawful under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA) and the 2017 National Framework, particularly for plants in the Highveld Priority Area (HPA). The submission provides evidence of Eskom's extensive history of emission exceedances and the resulting health costs, including thousands of projected premature deaths. It further asserts that the technology to abate sulphur dioxide (SO2) is feasible and economically beneficial, contradicting Eskom's claims of impracticality.

The Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment (CPCHE) submits that Bill 23 may jeopardize child development by increasing exposure to air pollution and climate risks while eroding municipal capacity to maintain affordable housing and green spaces. The submission highlights that 40% of renters with children in Ontario are in core housing need and that green spaces are critical for mitigating heat waves and floods. CPCHE recommends revising the Bill to prioritize vulnerable renters, protect urban parklands and wetlands, and encourage walkable, low-emission community design to reduce traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), which is causally linked to childhood asthma.

The document outlines the extensive health benefits of transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, emphasizing that such a shift must be 'just' by focusing on the most vulnerable and remediating past damages. It identifies significant reductions in premature deaths from air pollution and occupational hazards, while highlighting opportunities for improved healthcare access and urban wellbeing. The briefing proposes three core principles—inclusive decision-making, health impact tracking, and nature restoration—and provides policy recommendations on redirecting fossil fuel subsidies, integrated ministerial planning, and prioritizing clean cooking solutions.

The document advocates for a just energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, emphasizing that this shift must prioritize social and ecological justice to maximize health benefits. It highlights that ending fossil fuel reliance can prevent millions of premature deaths from air pollution and reduce occupational hazards in mining and oil/gas sectors. The briefing proposes three core principles—inclusive decision-making, health impact tracking, and nature restoration—and recommends redirecting the $425 billion annual fossil fuel subsidies toward clean energy and health services.

The document argues that transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy must prioritize social and ecological justice to avoid replicating centralized power structures. It highlights that such a transition could prevent millions of premature deaths annually by reducing air pollution and eliminating occupational hazards for energy workers. The briefing outlines a framework for 'healthy cities' and 'healthy economies,' emphasizing the need to redirect fossil fuel subsidies toward clean energy and health protection. Key recommendations include inclusive decision-making, mandatory health impact monitoring for new energy investments, and the restoration of nature and health damaged during the fossil fuel era.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) urges the Edmonton City Council to ban cosmetic pesticides, asserting that such bans are popular, cost-effective, and essential for protecting human and environmental health. CAPE argues that the current risk assessment approach is insufficient and advocates for an 'alternatives assessment' paradigm that prioritizes hazard prevention over acceptable risk. The document links pesticide use to broader planetary health crises, noting that pesticides can negatively impact soil biodiversity and carbon sequestration, thereby exacerbating the climate emergency. CAPE cites various health risks associated with pesticides, including links to cancers, reproductive problems, and Parkinson's disease, and points to successful bans in other jurisdictions as models for Edmonton to follow.

The author contends that health issues such as endometriosis, PCOS, and breast cancer are linked to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and xenoestrogens found in plastics, pesticides, and cosmetics. The text criticizes a medical and social narrative that places the onus of prevention on individual lifestyle choices, arguing instead that corporate profit and inadequate regulation drive exposure. It calls for healthcare professionals to acknowledge these environmental links and urges support for strengthening the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) via Bill S-5.

The document argues for the necessity of federally funded monitoring networks to track mercury in air, water, and wildlife, and to modernize air quality monitoring in the U.S. It highlights the health risks of methylmercury, the impact of global emissions and climate change on U.S. deposition, and the need for high-resolution air quality data in overburdened communities to address disparities in pollution exposure.

The document details how fossil fuel extraction, production, and combustion cause severe health harms, including respiratory diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular issues, while contributing to the global climate crisis. It highlights the economic burden of these health impacts, the role of fossil fuel subsidies in perpetuating harm, and proposes sector-specific solutions and a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to ensure a just transition.

The document outlines a pathway to reduce U.S. oil and gas methane emissions by 65% using mature technologies and standards already employed in states like Colorado and New Mexico. It advocates for strengthening EPA regulations to include frequent leak detection and repair (LDAR) and a total ban on routine flaring. Additionally, it supports the Build Back Better Act's Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP) as a complementary financial incentive. The author asserts that these measures would save society $13 billion annually by 2025, prevent millions of tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) from entering the atmosphere, and create approximately 220,000 total jobs without negatively impacting drilling activity.

The report details how North Denver serves as a critical hub for energy, goods production, and transport for the wider region while its residents bear the cumulative health and environmental costs. It identifies widespread EPA violations among local facilities and highlights significant data gaps that hinder community oversight.

The report contends that natural gas expansion in Africa contradicts the Paris Agreement and poses significant economic and environmental risks. It argues that renewable energy is more cost-effective and creates more sustainable employment than the fossil fuel industry. Through case studies of Egypt, Nigeria, and Senegal, the document demonstrates that shifting from gas-based power to high-renewable scenarios would increase job creation and, in the case of Egypt, significantly reduce premature deaths from air pollution. It concludes that developed nations must stop financing fossil fuels and increase climate finance to support Africa's transition to zero-emissions energy systems.

The report synthesizes scientific evidence on the wide-ranging health impacts of traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), emphasizing its disproportionate effect on marginalized populations and its role in exacerbating COVID-19. It advocates for decisive policy, legislative, and regulatory interventions to reduce emissions and protect public health.

The Global Climate and Health Alliance asserts that the health of people is inextricably linked to the planet's climate, calling for an accelerated transition to renewable energy to avoid a catastrophic 2.7°C temperature increase. The statement highlights that reducing fossil fuel emissions would save millions of lives annually through cleaner air and healthier cities, while emphasizing that climate justice is essential for health equity.

CAPE supports the federal government's proposal to ban specific single-use plastics, emphasizing that plastic pollution is a human health crisis as well as an ecological one. The organization highlights health risks including respiratory illness and cancer for fenceline communities and plastics workers, as well as the presence of microplastics in infants. CAPE recommends bringing regulations into force by the end of 2022, removing export exemptions, and expanding the list of banned items to include drink cups, cigarette filters, and products containing additives like PFAS and bisphenols.

The report details how systemic racism in Kansas City has led to the disproportionate siting of polluting industries in communities of color and low-income areas, resulting in severe health disparities. It highlights the failure of federal and state air monitoring networks to capture local pollution 'hot spots' and describes the efforts of CleanAirNow to implement community-based monitoring. The document concludes with recommendations for stricter emissions standards, real-time fenceline monitoring, and the transition to zero-emissions transportation to protect vulnerable residents.

The Healthy Air Campaign (HAC) advocates for the inclusion of Lords amendment 3 in the Environment Bill to set a legal target for PM2.5 air pollution of 10 µg/m3 by 2030. The briefing argues that current UK legal limits are double the 2005 WHO guidelines and that achieving the stricter target is feasible based on technical analysis. It highlights the severe public health impacts of PM2.5, including an estimated 40,000 premature deaths annually in the UK, and notes the economic burden of over £20bn per year. The document emphasizes that the UK risks losing its global leadership in air quality as the USA and EU move toward stricter standards.