Search Climate Insights Directory

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) argues that British Columbia's current climate strategy is insufficient to meet its 2025 and 2030 targets, primarily due to continued support for fracked gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) expansion. CAPE highlights significant health risks associated with fracking, including respiratory disease and cancer, noting a critical loss of physicians in northeastern B.C. The submission calls for a moratorium on new fracking and LNG development, a ban on gas connections in new buildings by 2025, and increased investment in active transportation and public transit to address the province's largest emissions source. CAPE also emphasizes the need for equitable electrification and a just transition for fossil fuel workers.

Between 1980 and 2024, the U.S. experienced 403 billion-dollar disasters resulting in over $2.9 trillion in direct costs and nearly 17,000 deaths. The frequency and cost of these events have risen sharply, with the average time between disasters dropping from 82 days in the 1980s to 19 days in the last decade. Tropical cyclones are the costliest event type, while severe storms are the most frequent.

Earthjustice reports on its efforts to secure and defend health protections against pollution and toxic chemicals. The organization highlights the use of 'citizen suits' under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act to hold polluters accountable, such as litigation against Suncor Energy and the County of Hawai‘i. The report emphasizes a strategic shift toward state and local legal avenues—including constitutional 'right to a healthy environment' claims in Hawai’i and New York—to mitigate the impact of federal rollbacks by the Trump administration. Key achievements include pushing for bans on PFAS in menstrual products in New York, reducing flame retardants in Washington state, and implementing zero-emissions truck rules in California. The document also details the projected life-saving impacts of federal rules secured in 2024, such as the Air Toxics Rule and the Mercury and Air Toxics Rule Update.

The report details the methodological framework for identifying 'attacks on science' (AOS), defined as actions by elected officials or political appointees that result in the censoring, manipulation, or misinforming of scientific data. It describes the use of human coding for news articles, analysis of federal funding data from USASpending.gov, and tracking of federal advisory committee terminations. The methodology specifically addresses the tracking of federal workforce cuts, the impact of Clean Air Act exemptions on overburdened communities using spatial buffers, and the monitoring of federal environmental webpages via the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative (EDGI).

The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that the Trump administration launched 402 attacks on science between January and June 2025, exceeding the total from his first term. These actions include the layoff of over 120,000 federal employees, the dismantling of science-focused federal advisory committees, and the censorship of environment and climate webpages. The report highlights the suspension of NIH grant reviews and the bypassing of public comment processes to benefit the fossil fuel industry, which disproportionately impacts marginalized communities. The document recommends that Congress pass the Scientific Integrity Act and the EXPERTS Act to protect evidence-based policymaking.

The document details the widespread groundwater contamination caused by coal ash at U.S. power plants, where 91 percent of plants exceed federal safe standards. It highlights the dangers of 'sham recycling'—specifically using coal ash as soil fill—and contrasts this with legitimate encapsulation in concrete and gypsum. The testimony criticizes the Trump administration's efforts to cede enforcement to states and weaken federal regulations, while providing evidence that 'closure by removal' of ash ponds leads to significant water quality improvements and economic benefits for local communities.

The report estimates that air pollution from a subset of private equity-backed fossil fuel infrastructure in the U.S. causes between $11.3 billion and $15.1 billion in annual health costs. Using the EPA's COBRA tool, the analysis finds these facilities are responsible for approximately 1,000 premature deaths and 1,500 emergency room visits each year. The document argues that private equity firms must disclose their fossil fuel exposure and health impacts, cease investments in fossil fuel expansion by 2030, and integrate environmental justice into their operations.

The document outlines the severe health risks associated with uranium exploration and mining, emphasizing that uranium is both chemically toxic and radioactive. It highlights the dangers of radon gas, which causes over 100 deaths annually in Nova Scotia and is the primary cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. The text details a wide range of adverse health effects, including kidney failure, DNA damage, and various cancers, noting that women and children are disproportionately susceptible to radiation. It further warns of environmental contamination affecting water, wildlife, and Indigenous communities, specifically mentioning the 'caribou connection' where radionuclides concentrate in lichens. The document concludes that the long-term health and environmental costs of mining, including the need for perpetual monitoring of tailings, would likely outweigh any economic benefits.

The document critiques the Supreme Court's decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County and other government efforts to curtail NEPA, asserting that these actions create uncertainty and primarily benefit fossil fuel infrastructure rather than accelerating clean energy. It recommends improving agency capacity, aligning jurisdictional requirements, and enhancing community and Tribal engagement to streamline permitting.

The document highlights the ecological importance of the Hudson Bay and James Bay lowlands as a critical global carbon sink and the threats posed by the 'Ring of Fire' mining projects. It details the advocacy of the Friends of the Attawapiskat River, who argue that respecting treaty rights and obtaining free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) are essential for achieving climate and conservation goals. The study critiques Ontario's mining laws and the lack of provincial implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), recommending the establishment of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) and a moratorium on mining permits until Indigenous sovereignty and environmental protections are guaranteed.

The document details the ecological significance of the Hudson-James Bay Lowlands as a critical carbon sink and the threats posed by the 'Ring of Fire' mining projects. It highlights the mobilization of the Friends of the Attawapiskat River, who advocate for Indigenous-led conservation, the enforcement of free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), and the recognition of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) to safeguard biodiversity and climate stability.

The report 'Private Equity, Public Harm' estimates that private equity-backed fossil fuel infrastructure in the U.S. generates annual health costs between $11.3 billion and $15.1 billion, causing approximately 1,000 premature deaths and 1,500 emergency room visits yearly. Using the EPA's COBRA tool, the analysis identifies significant impacts from pollutants such as SO₂, NOₓ, VOCs, and PM2.5, noting that several individual private equity firms are responsible for over $1 billion in annual health impacts. The document calls for mandatory disclosures of fossil fuel exposure and emissions, a complete transition to a fossil-free portfolio by 2030, and the integration of environmental justice mechanisms to protect impacted communities.

The report finds that private equity-backed fossil fuel infrastructure in the U.S. causes between $11.3 and $15.1 billion in annual human health damages, resulting in nearly 1,000 premature deaths and 1,500 emergency room visits each year. A small group of firms, specifically ArcLight, Energy Capital Partners (ECP), and Quantum Capital, are responsible for approximately 20% of these impacts. The General J.M. Gavin coal plant in Ohio is identified as the single most harmful facility, causing an estimated $1.7 billion in annual health impacts. Regional analysis highlights a disproportionate burden in the Mid-Atlantic/New England area, where people are three times more likely to die from this pollution than in the rest of the U.S., and in Texas, which ranks first in asthma onset and symptoms due to its large population and proximity to the Permian Basin.

The report finds that private equity-backed fossil fuel facilities in the U.S. cause between $11.3 and $15.1 billion in annual human health damages, resulting in nearly 1,000 premature deaths and 1,500 emergency room visits per year. A small group of firms, specifically ArcLight, Energy Capital Partners, and Quantum Capital, are responsible for approximately 20% of these impacts. The General J.M. Gavin coal plant in Ohio is identified as the single most harmful facility, accounting for roughly 19% of all health impacts in the study. Regional analysis highlights disproportionate burdens in the Mid-Atlantic/New England area and the Permian Basin, with Texas ranking first in asthma onset and symptoms due to its large population and proximity to extraction sites.

The report finds that while energy transition policies in China and Southeast Asia acknowledge justice indicators in some form, the overall representation is low, with all countries scoring below 50% of the maximum possible score. Environmental, restorative, and distributional justice are particularly underrepresented, while procedural justice and energy access score relatively higher. The study highlights a significant gap between policy goals and actual implementation, especially regarding land rights and labour protections for fossil fuel workers.

The report argues that the global ocean economy must transition from business-as-usual to a nature-positive model to avoid an estimated US$8.4 trillion in economic value loss by 2036. It introduces the AR3T (Avoid, Reduce, Restore & Regenerate, Transform) action framework to help companies in four key sectors—offshore wind, coastal and marine tourism, shipping, and seafood—halt and reverse biodiversity loss. The document emphasizes that nature positive is a collective societal goal, requiring absolute gains in nature rather than relative net gains or offsets. It provides specific technical recommendations for each sector, such as using nature-inclusive design in offshore wind, implementing sustainable siting in tourism, reducing vessel noise in shipping, and eliminating destructive fishing practices in the seafood sector. The report also highlights the necessity of integrating social equity and Indigenous knowledge into conservation efforts, asserting that a nature-positive future must also be 'people positive'.

The document calls for transforming Cinco de Mayo from a commercialized holiday into a 'Day of Action' focused on environmental justice and community health. It links the historical victory at the Battle of Puebla to modern struggles against billionaires and extractive industries, noting the intersection with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Day of Remembrance.

The document outlines the drivers and impacts of shoreline loss, noting that roughly 15% of the global population lives near coasts and faces increased erosion from climate-fueled storms and rising seas. It highlights the high cost and temporary nature of beach renourishment, citing North Carolina's expenditure of over $1 billion since the 1950s. The guide provides reporting advice from journalist Olga Loginova, emphasizing the importance of embracing complexity, using public records requests, and valuing Indigenous traditional knowledge. It also lists specific global examples of coastal loss in Scotland, Nigeria, and the US, alongside recommended data sources from NOAA and the US Geological Survey.

The Global Forum for Digital Justice argues that the internet has transitioned from a space of creativity to a tool for surveillance and oppression, driven by the profit-seeking motives of Silicon Valley companies and US foreign policy. The statement highlights that 2.5 billion people remain digitally excluded, exacerbating global inequalities. It calls for a 'new global digital constitutionalism' to replace corporate greed and state control with digital commons and policies that limit monopolies and protect ecological justice.

The document outlines the cyclical relationship between climate change and wildfires, highlighting how rising temperatures and droughts increase fire frequency while the resulting emissions accelerate global warming. It focuses on the US-Mexico border region—specifically Southern California, Arizona, and Northern Baja California—where smoke stagnation and limited healthcare access disproportionately affect migrants, outdoor workers, and marginalized urban populations in cities like Tijuana, Nogales, and El Paso. The guide suggests journalistic angles for investigating cross-border firefighting coordination between agencies like CAL FIRE and CONAFOR, the health impacts of smoke on vulnerable groups, and the effectiveness of local air quality monitoring tools.