Search Climate Insights Directory

The report argues that the Trump administration has systematically eroded the role of science in federal policymaking through the appointment of conflicted officials, the removal of scientific data from government websites, and the rollback of science-based public health and environmental protections. It highlights specific actions, such as the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the delay of methane emission standards, as evidence of a strategy to prioritize industry profits over public safety. The document concludes with recommendations for scientists, Congress, and the media to defend scientific integrity.

The document details the health impacts of oil and gas industry air pollution in Texas, noting that toxic emissions increase cancer risks in 82 counties and ozone smog causes approximately 145,000 annual asthma attacks in children. It highlights that 2.3 million Texans and over 900 schools are located within a half-mile of active operations, and argues that the suspension of EPA standards for leak inspections further endangers the population.

The document evaluates the impact of NAFTA's environmental side agreement and the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), highlighting successes in data sharing and pollution mitigation alongside failures in the citizen submission process. It concludes by proposing seven options for the NAFTA renegotiations, ranging from maintaining the status quo to integrating modern sustainability standards from agreements like CETA or TPP.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) is calling for a meeting with the Department of Environmental Affairs to address evidence of widespread non-compliance by Eskom power stations with their atmospheric emission licences (AELs). Based on a report by Professor Eugene Cairncross analyzing data from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016, the CER identifies multiple stations likely exceeding PM10, NOx, and SO2 limits. The CER argues that Eskom is the largest emitter in the Highveld Priority Area and recommends stricter reporting requirements, including the use of daily average concentrations rather than monthly aggregates, to accurately monitor compliance.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) asserts that NAFTA has historically expanded resource-intensive industries and weakened regulations through investor protections. In Mexico, this has led to increased factory farming, toxic pollution from maquiladoras, and extensive mining activities. In Canada, the agreement's proportionality clause has supported the expansion of tar sands oil and other carbon-intensive energy. CIEL advocates for a new trade system that eliminates fossil fuel subsidies, removes the investor-state dispute settlement system, and prioritizes the precautionary principle and climate safeguards.

The document criticizes the Trump administration's "one in, two out" executive order, which Earthjustice claims is illegal and prioritizes corporate profits over public health. It highlights the role of the EPA in preventing pollution-related illnesses and argues that the economic and health benefits of environmental regulations far outweigh their costs to industry.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the Federation for a Sustainable Environment (FSE), submitted representations to the Minister of Water and Sanitation on 2 March 2017. The document argues against a petition by Atha-Africa Ventures (Pty) Ltd to uplift the suspension of a water-use licence (WUL) for the proposed Yzermyn underground coal mine, asserting that the suspension should remain until the Water Tribunal resolves the pending appeal.

The document argues that although South Carolina has no operating oil and gas wells, its residents suffer significant health consequences from industry-related air pollution that travels across state borders. It specifically highlights that over 12,000 childhood asthma attacks occur every summer in the state due to ozone from the oil and gas industry, with significant concentrations in the Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston areas. Additionally, it notes over 25,000 person-days of restricted activity for adults linked to ozone exposure and advocates for the maintenance of federal standards, such as those from the Bureau of Land Management, to reduce smog-causing pollutants.

Earthjustice asserts that Scott Pruitt is unfit to lead the EPA, citing his history of suing the agency 14 times to fight public health protections, his denial of climate change, and his opposition to the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.

The document details the health impacts of oil and gas air pollution in Colorado, noting that over 380,000 people in six counties face cancer risks exceeding EPA levels of concern. It highlights that more than 32,000 children annually suffer asthma attacks due to industry-related ozone, with significant concentrations in the Denver area and Northern Front Range. While Colorado has implemented regulations, the report argues that federal standards are essential because state measures cannot control pollution drifting from Utah and New Mexico or emissions on tribal lands.

The document details the health impacts of oil and gas air pollution in West Virginia, noting that over 1,200 tons of hazardous toxic air pollutants were emitted in 2011. It highlights that 262,000 people and over 890 schools are located within a half-mile of active operations, with residents in 28 counties facing cancer risks exceeding EPA levels of concern. Additionally, the industry's ozone emissions are linked to nearly 10,000 childhood asthma attacks annually and 21,400 person-days of restricted activity for adults across all counties in the state.

The report argues that the European Commission and various Member States are undermining the 2013 bans on four bee-harming pesticides, including neonicotinoids and fipronil, by exploiting a legal loophole for 'emergency authorisations'. Analysis of 62 notifications reveals that these authorisations are frequently granted without evidence of a genuine emergency, without considering alternative pest control methods, and are often driven by the pesticide and seed industry. The document highlights Romania as a primary example of this abuse, noting it granted one-third of all EU derogations for neonicotinoids between 2014 and 2016 despite evidence of bee colony losses and a lack of research into sustainable alternatives. The authors call for the Commission to increase transparency, systematically scrutinise notifications, and reject industry-led requests.

The Institute for Policy Integrity defends the EPA's 2016 supplemental finding on the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), asserting that the agency correctly considered regulatory costs and benefits, including indirect and unquantified benefits, in accordance with legal and economic standards.

Earthjustice, representing St. Johns Riverkeeper and Miami Waterkeeper, urges the EPA to reject Florida's proposed water quality criteria revisions. The statement claims the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) violated public participation laws and used an unsound probabilistic risk analysis that fails to protect sensitive populations, such as children and subsistence fishers. The document highlights drastic increases in allowable concentrations for several toxins and the failure to regulate 22 substances recommended by the EPA.

Earthjustice opposes a 'dirty bundle' of three US legislative bills (the Regulatory Accountability Act, the Midnight Rules Relief Act, and the REINS Act) that it claims would dismantle federal protections for clean air, water, and worker safety by increasing regulatory burdens and granting Congress excessive power to repeal agency rules.

The document outlines a comprehensive framework for governments to manage artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). It is structured into three phases: preparation (establishing working groups and analyzing context), strategy development (creating a vision and categorizing mining types), and implementation (executing plans and monitoring outcomes). The guide emphasizes integrating informal mining into legal and economic systems while reducing social and environmental harms, such as child labor and mercury use.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) warns that the appointment of Scott Pruitt to lead the EPA threatens the agency's ability to protect public health and the climate, citing Pruitt's record of questioning climate science and fighting emissions reductions.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) is calling for a review of South Africa's National Dust Control Regulations, arguing that current monitoring methods are inadequate and that the government is incorrectly treating fugitive dust as a 'nuisance' rather than a health risk. CER specifically highlights the danger of toxic substances like arsenic and uranium in gold mine residues in Gauteng and opposes a proposal to double the allowable 30-day average dust limit from 600mg/m2 to 1200mg/m2. The letter also demands that the scope of regulated activities be expanded to explicitly include gold mine tailings re-mining operations.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) expresses support for the opposition to the provisional application of CETA, asserting that the agreement's Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) chapter imposes burdens on EU regulators that could slow environmental lawmaking and expose the EU to legal challenges from Canada. CIEL specifically highlights risks to the REACH regulation, noting Canada's history of challenging the EU's precautionary, hazard-based approach to dangerous substances.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted comments to the Department of Environmental Affairs on October 7, 2016, regarding proposed amendments to the Financial Provisioning Regulations, 2015. The CER argues that several proposed deletions of appendices and clauses would create legal uncertainty, reduce transparency, and weaken the state's ability to ensure that mining rehabilitation funds are available and used correctly.