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Health organizations are calling on the Saskatchewan government to adhere to the 2030 coal phase-out, citing severe health risks from air pollution and the economic viability of renewable energy alternatives.

In 2024, the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) focused on defending U.S. EPA pollution standards in court, advancing superhot rock geothermal and nuclear energy, and reducing global methane emissions. The organization also worked on simplifying renewable energy siting in the U.S., analyzing the efficiency of hydrogen and carbon capture, and addressing high capital costs for clean energy in Africa. In Europe, CATF influenced the EU's 2040 climate targets and the Net Zero Industry Act, while continuing state-level implementation of federal funding in the U.S.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) reports that political interference in government science is an ongoing issue, with 326 documented attacks across the last four presidential administrations. An analysis of 38 federal agencies found that 71% show low or nonexistent compliance with scientific integrity requirements established by the Biden administration. The report advocates for agency-level reforms to communication and enforcement, as well as the passage of legislation such as the Scientific Integrity Act to ensure accountability across different administrations.

The document assesses the impact of operating three units at the Kusile power station without Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) from December 1, 2023, to March 31, 2025. It finds that this bypass will lead to a 6-fold increase in SO2 emissions and a 40% increase in mercury emissions, resulting in approximately 670 excess deaths and R16.8 billion in economic health damages. The authors argue that Eskom's own health impact estimates are unrealistically low because they use outdated modeling tools, ignore mercury emissions, and only consider a small 50 km geographic radius.

The document evaluates the consequences of bypassing Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) systems at the Kusile power station. It projects a six-fold increase in SO2 emissions and a 40% increase in mercury emissions, leading to an estimated 670 excess deaths and R16.8 billion in societal costs.

The report argues that the proposed Lephalale Coal and Power Project (LCPP) poses substantial health risks to surrounding communities in Limpopo, South Africa. It critiques the project's official Air Quality Impact Assessment (AQIA) for failing to provide quantifiable health risk estimates and for relying on weak national air quality standards. In contrast, the report supports findings from the Centre for Research into Energy and Clean Air (CREA), which identifies significant morbidity and mortality risks and an 'unfunded liability' of US$33.6 billion in externalised health costs. The author provides a comprehensive review of peer-reviewed literature linking coal-related pollutants—including particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), nitrogen oxides, and mercury—to respiratory, cardiovascular, neurocognitive, and maternal health disorders, as well as various cancers.

The report evaluates Mexico's mining policy framework, identifying strengths in geological data and regulatory development, while highlighting critical weaknesses in national planning, indigenous consultation, and mine closure regulations. It notes a lack of a cohesive national mining policy and significant gaps in the formalization and regulation of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). The assessment recommends modernizing laws, improving the distribution of financial benefits to local communities, and establishing robust financial guarantees for mine closures.

The report argues that the 2019 IRP's goal of adding 1500 MW of new coal generation is technically and environmentally problematic. It concludes that 'clean coal' is a myth, as even high-efficiency, low-emission (HELE) technologies cannot eliminate significant air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The author finds that advanced ultra-supercritical plants and carbon capture technologies are currently unproven or cost-prohibitive at scale, making them unlikely to be implemented. Furthermore, the report asserts that the 2023 timeline for the first 750 MW is unrealistic and that new plants would inevitably cause harm to human and environmental health through emissions of toxic organic compounds, trace metals, and acid gases, as well as impacts from the broader coal supply chain.

The report finds that the German government's proposed emission limits for coal power plants would lead to 26,000 attributable deaths and €73 billion in economic costs between 2022 and 2038. Implementing the best available techniques (BAT) for all plants would reduce deaths to 5,800 and costs to approximately €15.8 billion. The study also highlights significant mercury emissions under the government's plan, which would cause 1,100 deaths and 400,000 IQ points of neurological damage in children.

The Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC) and the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance (NJEJA) argue that New Jersey waste incinerators are ineligible for Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) subsidies because they have consistently violated Clean Air Act permits. The authors claim that ratepayers have paid approximately $30 million in subsidies to these facilities between 2005 and 2019, despite legal requirements that eligible 'Class II renewable energy' sources must meet the 'highest environmental standards'. The document highlights that these incinerators are located in environmental justice communities and that the BPU and DEP have failed to provide the same level of oversight for in-state facilities as they do for out-of-state ones.

The document outlines the technical approaches used to estimate children's exposure to chlorpyrifos and PFAS, the process for tracking children's product recalls, and the use of EPA Regulatory Impact Analyses to quantify the health benefits lost when air pollution standards were weakened or repealed.

The document estimates that installing SOx, NOx, and PM pollution-control technology in India's coal power plants will cost up to INR 86,135 crore (USD 12 billion), potentially increasing electricity tariffs by 9–21 per cent. It argues that the Ministry of Power must enforce strict compliance to ensure air pollution externalities are reflected in power prices and to prevent non-compliant plants from continuing operations without a phase-out plan.

The report argues that doubling the SO2 emissions limit would lead to significant increases in PM2.5 exposure and mercury deposition, resulting in approximately 3,300 premature deaths, with a high concentration of impacts in the Gauteng region.

The U.S. EPA has proposed a change in how it calculates the benefits of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) for coal- and oil-fired power plants. By excluding 'co-benefits'—reductions in pollutants not directly targeted by the rule, such as particulate matter (PM2.5)—the EPA argues that the regulation is no longer 'appropriate and necessary' under the Clean Air Act. While the MATS originally prevented 11,000 premature deaths and 130,000 asthma attacks annually, removing co-benefits, which account for over 90% of monetized benefits, dramatically lowers the perceived value of the regulation relative to its compliance costs. Although the MATS remain in place for now, this methodological shift opens the door for the EPA to potentially rescind the standards or delist power plants as affected sources. Electric utilities have expressed concern over this shift, noting they have already invested over USD 18 billion in pollution-control upgrades. The report also notes that increased mercury emissions in the U.S. could adversely affect Canada due to transboundary transport.

The report finds that granting Eskom's requests for non-compliance with Minimum Emission Standards would lead to significant excess emissions of SO2, NOx, particulate matter, and mercury, resulting in an estimated 16,000 avoidable premature deaths across South Africa, with 3,100 of those in the Gauteng region.

The document describes Arctic wetlands as critical ecosystems that store vast amounts of carbon and support biodiversity and Indigenous livelihoods. It warns that climate-driven permafrost degradation and human activities like drainage turn these areas into a 'time bomb' by releasing greenhouse gases and toxic mercury. Conversely, it argues that restoration and conservation can serve as a 'saving grace' for climate mitigation and adaptation. The briefing highlights the need for better wetland inventories and comparative analysis of management strategies to improve governance across Arctic states.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) advocates for the rapid closure of coal plants in Canada to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate severe health risks from air pollution and mercury. While supporting this transition, CAPE stresses that unemployment and poverty are social determinants of health, requiring a just transition framework including retraining, relocation programs, and extended severance to prevent the health benefits of decarbonization from being offset by economic instability for workers.

The report examines the health and economic costs of coal in Indonesia, highlighting the link between coal combustion and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It argues that the Indonesian government's continued subsidies for coal, which reached USD 946 million in 2014, contradict public health needs and the availability of cheaper renewable energy alternatives.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of the coal industry in the United States, detailing the transition from underground to surface mining and the shift toward low-sulfur coal. It highlights the severe ecological damage caused by mountaintop removal and the public health risks associated with coal combustion, including the emission of sulfur dioxide, mercury, and carbon dioxide. The guide also discusses the economic decline of coal due to the rise of natural gas and renewables, while noting the energy-intensive nature of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) urges the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change to ensure the 2030 coal-fired power plant phase-out is not undermined by a reliance on natural gas. CAPE recommends amending regulations to shorten the 'useful life' of coal generators to 40 years, enforcing stricter emission rates for gas plants, and requiring that at least two-thirds of generation be replaced with renewable energy. The organization highlights that a successful phase-out could prevent 1,000 premature deaths and 900 hospital visits while reducing greenhouse gases by up to 325 Mt between 2015 and 2035.