Search Climate Insights Directory

The report argues that the Socio-economic Assessment (SEA) tool used in REACH authorisations is flawed due to a narrow focus on quantitative cost-benefit analysis (CBA), which prioritises business-as-usual over innovation and substitution. It claims that ECHA's guidance encourages a micro-economic perspective focused on applicant companies rather than a broad societal perspective. The authors recommend abandoning the current SEA model in favour of integrating socio-economic factors into a broader analysis of alternatives and reforming the SVHC listing and authorisation process to increase the incentive for substitution.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) calls for the next Canadian government to prioritize environmental health by reforming the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and reintroducing an improved version of Bill C-28. The organization highlights that air pollution causes nearly 15,000 premature deaths annually in Canada, with lower-income populations and marginalized groups disproportionately affected by toxic exposures. CAPE advocates for an unqualified right to a healthy environment, the prioritization of toxic substances of concern, and the cessation of all fiscal supports to the oil and gas sector by 2022.

The document examines how socio-economic factors and gender norms in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) create disproportionate exposure to chemical and noise pollution. It highlights that while men are more exposed in heavy industry, women face higher risks in healthcare, cleaning, and agriculture. It notes a critical lack of official data on environmental health in BiH and recommends gender-sensitive risk assessments, poverty reduction, and targeted awareness campaigns to protect marginalized groups, including Roma communities.

The July 2021 poll indicates strong support among Pennsylvania likely voters for holding oil and gas companies legally accountable for climate change damages. A majority of respondents believe these companies are not paying their fair share of costs and that businesses and large corporations are the primary cause of climate change. The poll also tests the impact of various messaging strategies on public support for litigation, finding that arguments regarding corporate disinformation and public health costs generally increase support for suing oil and gas companies.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and partner organizations advocate for the listing of talc under Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and a comprehensive ban on its use in personal care products. They argue that current industry-led changes are inadequate and that risk management must account for the racialized and gendered contexts of talc exposure, particularly the targeting of Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, and Filipino communities by companies like Johnson & Johnson. The authors emphasize that a precautionary approach is necessary to protect vulnerable populations, including athletes and gendered occupations such as makeup artists and estheticians, from inhalation and perineal risks.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE-ACME) supports the government's decision to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as a broad class under the Chemicals Management Plan. CAPE-ACME argues that the proliferation of thousands of PFAS chemicals leads to adverse human and ecological health outcomes, including cancers, liver damage, and immune system effects. The organization emphasizes the importance of considering disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations and supports the positions of other environmental and health organizations regarding PFAS risks.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and other organizations urge the passage of Bill C-28 with specific amendments to better protect human health and the environment. Key recommendations include establishing a non-qualified right to a healthy environment, prioritizing the prohibition of carcinogenic and mutagenic substances, and requiring assessments of aggregate and cumulative exposures. The authors also call for legally binding air quality standards, GMO food labelling, and alignment with the Basel Convention on plastic waste.

The document outlines the legal and procedural steps of federal rulemaking and place-specific environmental actions, such as permitting and Superfund cleanups. It provides strategic advice for citizens to submit effective comments, request meetings with officials, and use legal mechanisms like citizen suits to ensure agency accountability. A significant portion of the guide is dedicated to environmental justice, explaining how marginalized communities are disproportionately affected by pollution and climate change and detailing resources and grants available to help these communities participate in decision-making.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) advocates for the passage of Bill C-230, arguing that a national strategy is necessary to address the disproportionate health burdens faced by Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities due to environmental racism. CAPE emphasizes that universal environmental policies are insufficient for marginalized groups and highlights the specific case of the Mohawk Nation of Akwesasne, where industrial contaminants have led to neurological symptoms, cancers, and autoimmune diseases. The organization asserts that Bill C-230 complements Bill C-28 by providing a legislative mandate and regular reporting to specifically redress the harms of environmental racism.

A coalition is suing the U.S. EPA to invalidate regulatory loopholes that allow continued exposure to DecaBDE, a highly toxic flame retardant used in consumer products and recycled plastics. The chemical is linked to cancer, neurological harm, and developmental damage, posing particular risks to infants, children, workers, and Indigenous subsistence practitioners.

The document assesses Thailand's air quality challenges, noting that while numerous Acts and Plans exist, enforcement is hampered by a siloed ministerial approach and a prioritization of economic growth over environmental health. It identifies key pollution sources including road transport, coal-fired power plants, industrial zones, and seasonal crop burning. The paper highlights successful past initiatives such as the phase-out of leaded gasoline and two-stroke motorcycles, and suggests the need for an overarching national agency to integrate air quality management across sectors.

The document identifies critical gaps in the EU's approach to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), noting that current laws fail to account for non-monotonic dose responses and the irreversibility of EDC effects. It argues that the EU has a legal and moral obligation under the precautionary principle to prevent harm, particularly to vulnerable populations like children. To address these failures, the brief proposes three primary actions: launching a broad REACH restriction for already identified EDCs based on existing lists, updating chemical screening systems through implementing acts and guidance to eliminate 'blind spots', and adopting a new legislative act to create a coordinated, continuously updated EU list of EDCs that automatically triggers regulatory consequences across all sectors.

A coalition of health and environmental organizations is advocating for New York State legislation to ban PFAS in food packaging, citing severe health risks, the availability of safer alternatives, and the disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities.

The document highlights that pesticides persist longer indoors due to a lack of sunlight and microbial action, yet Canadian regulatory assessments for indoor use do not require the same persistence or environmental fate studies as outdoor uses. It notes that pyrethrins and pyrethroids are the most common indoor pesticides and are linked to neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption. The briefing emphasizes that low-income individuals face higher exposure due to poorly maintained housing and that current regulatory models fail to account for these socio-economic factors. It concludes that reliance on pesticide labels is insufficient due to poor communication of updates and high rates of non-compliance among professional pest control operators.

The briefing outlines how the Court of Justice of the EU has consistently upheld ECHA's decisions regarding the identification of substances of very high concern (SVHC) under Article 57 of the REACH Regulation. It emphasizes that SVHC identification is based on intrinsic hazardous properties rather than substance use, and that ECHA possesses broad discretion in evaluating evidence, including the use of non-guideline studies and the assessment of 'equivalent level of concern'.

The report examines the risks associated with unconventional oil and gas extraction (PGNC), specifically hydraulic fracturing. It details significant health concerns, including adverse birth outcomes, asthma exacerbation, and potential links to childhood leukemia. Environmental risks identified include water contamination, air pollution (specifically benzene and ozone precursors), and induced seismicity. The document highlights the disproportionate impact on Indigenous populations and argues that methane leaks undermine the role of natural gas as a transition fuel, calling for a moratorium on new projects and a strategic phase-out to meet Paris Agreement goals.

The report argues that a negative feedback loop exists in the United States where restrictive voting laws and partisan gerrymandering insulate legislators from accountability, leading to the adoption of policies that exacerbate public health disparities. Using data from America's Health Rankings and the Cost of Voting Index, the author finds that states with greater partisan bias and higher barriers to voting are associated with lower life expectancy and more severe health declines between 2010 and 2017. Specifically, the report links extreme gerrymandering to higher increases in opioid deaths among African Americans in high-poverty states and higher infant mortality for non-Hispanic black communities. To break this cycle, the document recommends reforms to reduce the costs of eligibility (such as automatic voter registration), reduce the costs of casting a vote (such as early in-person voting), and protect the equal value of votes through independent redistricting commissions and public campaign financing.

The EPA, under administrator Andrew Wheeler, stopped collecting data on ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions from large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in June 2019. This policy, which faced opposition from 99 percent of 87,473 public comments, removes a reporting requirement for farms emitting 100 pounds or more of these pollutants daily. The document asserts that this lack of data hinders the ability of emergency responders and communities—particularly low-income communities and communities of color—to protect themselves from health risks associated with CAFOs, such as respiratory issues and elevated blood pressure.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) is urging the South African government to penalize Eskom for chronic air pollution at the Kendal power station. Evidence from 2016-2019 shows frequent exceedances of particulate matter (PM) limits, with some units emitting 12 to 13 times the allowable limit. The CER argues that previous enforcement notices have been ineffective and that Eskom is violating both its AEL and the National Environmental Management Act's duty of care, impacting the health of communities in the Highveld Priority Area.

The author contends that the current global development model, which prioritizes infrastructure and economic growth, increases disaster risk and must be transformed. Citing the IPCC 1.5°C report and the Sendai Framework, the text emphasizes that sustainable development must address underlying causes such as poverty and inequality. It calls for the 2019 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction to move beyond boardroom discussions and actively incorporate the knowledge of frontline communities and the energized public sector to create inclusive, resilient transformations.