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Health, Environment and Equity: Essential Priorities for All Federal Candidates
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) argues that the 'triple planetary crises of pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change' are causing measurable harm to human health in Canada, particularly among vulnerable populations. The organization calls on federal candidates to preserve environmental regulations like the Clean Electricity Regulations and the Oil and Gas Emissions Cap, strengthen the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), establish an Office of Environmental Justice, ban fossil fuel advertising, and enforce 'polluter pays' legislation. CAPE highlights that air pollution from fossil fuels is linked to 34,000 premature deaths in Canada annually and costs the economy $120 billion per year.
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Document type: Statement
Diesel Health Impacts Methodology
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) utilizes the U.S. EPA's CO-Benefits Risk Assessment (COBRA) screening model to estimate health impacts from 2026 diesel emissions. The methodology employs a damage function approach to translate emissions into ambient PM2.5 concentrations, then into adverse health effects such as premature mortality, and finally into monetized economic damages. For 2026, national attributable premature mortality is estimated to range from 3,700 to 8,500 deaths. Additionally, CATF calculates cancer risk using a California Air Resources Board (CARB) risk factor, estimating 220 lifetime cancers per million population for 2026 based on projected concentrations of 0.25 ug/m3.
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Document type: Guide
Getting Where We Need to Go: Net-zero transport in Canada
The document outlines the economic, health, and social benefits of transitioning Canada's passenger transport sector to net-zero. It highlights that while ZEV sales are increasing, Canada remains heavily dependent on personal vehicles due to zoning laws and a preference for light-duty trucks. The brief proposes a shift toward active transport, public transit, and ZEVs to reduce emissions, lower household costs, and create jobs in battery manufacturing and transit infrastructure.
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Document type: Policy brief
Longer Growing Season, Longer Allergy Season in 172 U.S. Cities
Climate Central's analysis of 198 U.S. cities shows that 87% have experienced longer freeze-free growing seasons since 1970, increasing by an average of 20 days. This trend, driven by carbon pollution and warming, extends the period plants release pollen, worsening seasonal allergies for millions, including approximately 19% of U.S. children. The report highlights that CO2 levels also boost pollen production, potentially increasing it by 200% by the end of the century, with disproportionate health impacts on Black and Puerto Rican children who face higher asthma risks.
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Document type: Report
TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO CURB AIR POLLUTION HEALTH HARMS
The document details the severe health impacts of the fossil fuel lifecycle, emphasizing that air pollution linked to fossil fuels causes over 80% of pollution-related deaths. It highlights the disproportionate burden on vulnerable groups—including children, women, the elderly, and racialized communities—and advocates for a managed phase-out of oil, gas, and coal to save millions of lives and reduce healthcare costs. The brief provides case studies from Argentina, India, the USA, and China to illustrate these harms and the benefits of decommissioning coal plants. It concludes with specific policy recommendations for city and national governments to transition toward renewable energy and protect public health.
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Document type: Policy brief
Getting Where We Need to Go
The document outlines a strategy for Canada to achieve net-zero passenger transport by prioritizing walking, cycling, public transit, and zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). It highlights that 82% of Canadians live in urban areas, making the country well-suited for these transitions. The brief argues that this shift would reduce household costs, improve public health by reducing air and noise pollution, and create approximately 1.6 million jobs by 2050. Key policy recommendations include a federal ZEV sales standard requiring all new light-duty vehicle sales to be ZEVs by 2035, increased funding for high-speed rail in the Quebec-Windsor corridor, and provincial zoning reforms to increase urban density.
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Document type: Policy brief
Too Toxic to Ignore
The report details how petrochemicals, primarily plastics and nitrogen fertilizers, drive fossil fuel demand and contribute to a 'triple planetary crisis' of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. It highlights the significant health risks to workers and communities, particularly in Europe's Trilateral Chemical Region, and criticizes EU policy for prioritizing industry 'competitiveness' and speculative technologies like carbon capture over a phasedown of production.
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Document type: Report
Evaluating Eskom’s latest MES exemption request: Implications for air quality and public health
The Centre for Environmental Rights contends that Eskom's request for MES exemptions is based on a flawed analysis that systematically underestimates the health benefits of pollution control. The document highlights the omission of morbidity impacts, the use of outdated population data, and a restricted geographical scope of 33 km around power plants. It further criticizes the ethical implications of Eskom's cost-benefit analysis, which prioritizes financial savings over public health and uses electricity tariff increases to deter compliance. Finally, the document notes that Eskom's analysis relies on South African legal limits rather than the stricter World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, thereby ignoring global scientific consensus on safe exposure levels.
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Document type: Statement
Nov2024 Final Letter to CoV on Gas in New Builds - with signatures - Google Docs
A letter from medical professionals to Vancouver City Council arguing against the use of natural gas in new builds due to indoor air pollution, climate impacts, and the health risks associated with fracking.
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Document type: Statement
Climate Change and the Canadian Fossil Fuel Industry: CAPE’s Statement to the Senate Committee
CAPE advocates for a rapid transition away from fossil fuels, citing severe health impacts from fracking and oil sands, the failure of industry-led emissions reductions, and the necessity of Indigenous reconciliation in climate action.
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Document type: Statement
Indonesia's captive coal on the uptick
The report finds that Indonesia's captive coal capacity tripled between 2019 and 2024, reaching 15.2 GW, with projections to hit 26.2 GW by 2026. This growth is primarily driven by the nickel, aluminium, and iron and steel industries. The authors argue that this trend contradicts Indonesia's climate goals and will cause significant public health burdens, including an estimated 27,000 additional deaths if captive plants are excluded from a 2040 coal phase-out. While some companies are adopting solar and hydro, the report emphasizes that renewable energy solutions are now cost-competitive with coal.
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Document type: Report
Health Impacts of Radiation Exposure
The document details the health risks associated with radiation, ranging from acute radiation syndrome and skin burns to chronic conditions like cancer and cardiovascular disease. It highlights how social determinants of health compound these harms for vulnerable groups and critiques the US government's fragmented compensation system, which includes the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA), and Veterans Affairs Compensation. The text also notes the US's refusal to join the 2021 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
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Document type: Fact sheet
Let’s get greenwashing out of municipal politics
The document argues that fossil fuel sponsorship of political gatherings, specifically the UBCM Convention, constitutes greenwashing and improperly influences municipal decision-making. It links fossil fuel combustion to severe health crises, including 8.1 million annual global deaths from air pollution and extreme weather events in British Columbia such as the 2021 heat dome and historic wildfires. The authors call for a total ban on fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship in BC municipalities, drawing parallels to the historical ban on tobacco industry influence in medicine.
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Document type: Statement
CAPE 09-2024_Physician-led call for a cap on oil and gas emissions
A group of Canadian physicians and healthcare professionals is calling for the immediate implementation of a strong emissions cap on the oil and gas sector, arguing that such a measure is critical for both climate mitigation and public health. They advocate for a 45% reduction in emissions below 2005 levels by 2030, asserting that the current proposed framework is insufficiently ambitious. The authors highlight that the oil and gas sector is Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas pollution and that reducing these emissions would significantly lower levels of dangerous air pollutants like NO2, PM2.5, and ozone, potentially preventing thousands of premature deaths and providing billions in economic benefits.
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Document type: Statement
AIR QUALITY
Climate change is exacerbating air pollution through increased wildfires, ground-level ozone, and longer allergy seasons, posing severe health risks to children. Children are uniquely vulnerable due to their developing organs and higher breathing rates. The document highlights that 2°C of global warming could increase childhood asthma cases by 4% and notes that wildfire smoke is ten times more harmful to the respiratory health of children aged five or younger than other PM2.5 sources. Recommendations include minimizing outdoor exposure during high-pollution events, using HEPA filters, and transitioning away from fossil fuels to improve air quality.
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Document type: Fact sheet
KÖMÜR YAKITLI AFŞİN ELBİSTAN A TERMİK SANTRALİ GENİŞLETME PROJESİNİN HALK SAĞLIĞI ETKİLERİ VE EKONOMİK MALİYETİ
The report calculates that the planned expansion of the Afşin Elbistan A Thermal Power Plant will cause significant public health damage and economic losses. In the first year of operation (2028), the project is estimated to cause 42 deaths and cost the economy 58.1 million USD. Over a 35-year operational period (2028-2063), the cumulative impact is projected to be 2,268 deaths and an economic cost of 2.6 billion USD, which the authors equate to the cost of building 29 hospitals with 500 beds each.
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Document type: Report
Analysis: Climate change is increasing dangerous nighttime temperatures across the globe
The analysis finds that human-caused climate change has significantly increased the frequency of dangerous nighttime temperatures globally, affecting billions of people. Using the Climate Shift Index, the report quantifies additional nights above 18°C, 20°C, and 25°C, noting that these temperatures disrupt sleep and increase risks of cardiovascular conditions and mortality. The most severe impacts are observed in tropical regions and urban areas due to heat island effects, with specific cities in India, Indonesia, and Africa experiencing an additional month or more of extreme nighttime heat.
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Document type: Report
MADAGASCAR Integrated Energy Access Planning – CLEAN COOKING REPORT
The report assesses Madagascar's clean cooking landscape, where only 5% of households use clean technologies. It models two 2030 scenarios: a baseline based on the SDG7 Energy Compact and a 'Universal Access' scenario emphasizing e-cooking and biofuels. Key findings highlight that while bioethanol, biogas, and pellets have vast production potential, affordability remains the primary barrier. The transition could significantly reduce deforestation and avert thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution, particularly benefiting women who bear the brunt of fuel collection and cooking tasks.
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Document type: Report
Analysis: Illinois is leaving money on the table until it embraces clean transportation
RMI analysis indicates that Illinois households could save over $2,800 annually by implementing a combination of vehicle electrification standards, climate-driven agency planning, and renewed transit investments. These strategies could reduce pollution by up to 305 million metric tons between 2024 and 2050 and prevent thousands of deaths annually through reduced crash fatalities, improved air quality, and increased physical activity. While Illinois has received federal funding via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, the report notes the state has yet to adopt clean vehicle standards or integrate climate metrics into infrastructure project scoring.
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Document type: Report
BRIEF: Bill C-226, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) advocates for the passage of Bill C-226, arguing that environmental racism creates 'pollution hotspots' that disproportionately harm the health of Indigenous and racialized communities. CAPE links these exposures to severe health outcomes, including cancer and respiratory illnesses, and calls for a national strategy that integrates planetary health and Traditional Knowledge to address these systemic injustices.
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Document type: Briefing