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The document highlights that oil and gas development in Fort McKay leads to significant air quality issues, including odors, dust, and combustion-related pollution. It notes that NO2 levels exceed the AQMS 'orange management level', requiring active air management, and that poor air quality occurs half the time. The author argues that the benefits of an emissions cap depend on implementation, suggesting that relying solely on carbon capture and storage (CCS) offers minimal co-benefits, whereas improving energy efficiency or phasing down surface mining could reduce local environmental and health impacts.

The report estimates that four Canadian environmental regulations—the Coal Phase-Out, Clean Electricity, Volatile Organic Compound (VOC), and Methane Regulations—will generate between $18 billion and $21 billion in direct health benefits by 2050. These savings, primarily from reduced respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses caused by pollutants like NOx, SOx, and particulate matter, are equivalent to the cost of 2,200 to 2,500 doctors over 36 years. The authors argue that these figures are conservative as they exclude broader climate-related health gains and that policymakers should maintain these commitments despite current economic pressures.

The report analyzes four Canadian environmental regulations—Coal Phase-Out, Clean Electricity, VOC, and Methane—finding they provide between $18 billion and $21 billion in direct health benefits by 2050. It argues that these savings could be used to address healthcare shortages, such as hiring 2,200 to 2,500 doctors, and cautions against the use of discount rates that undervalue the health of future generations.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for the use of the Clean Air Act to enforce stringent emissions standards on U.S. power plants. Their goal is to eliminate domestic power sector carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 and reduce air toxics, smog, and soot to protect public health, particularly in vulnerable communities. CATF's strategies include pushing for protective carbon dioxide performance standards, updating the Mercury & Air Toxics Standards (MATS), tightening National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), and enforcing 'Good Neighbor' provisions to prevent upwind states from polluting downwind areas.

The document highlights the environmental and health impacts of routine gas flaring in the US, noting that 538 billion cubic feet of gas was vented or flared in 2019. It argues that routine flaring is avoidable through better infrastructure planning and technology, citing New Mexico and Colorado as regulatory precedents. The text emphasizes the disproportionate health burden on environmental justice and tribal communities, specifically mentioning increased rates of preterm birth in high-flaring regions of Texas.

The Clean Air Task Force argues that new infrastructure investments in the U.S. must prioritize clean diesel technology to reduce severe health risks and climate impacts. Diesel pollution is linked to 21,000 premature deaths annually in the U.S., and construction equipment accounts for over 37 percent of land-based particulate matter. The document proposes that combining diesel particulate filters with ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel can eliminate over 90 percent of particulate pollution, offering a high return on investment where every dollar spent avoids $12 in health damages.

The document contains technical tables comparing proposed Indian coal power plant emission standards for SO2, NOx, and PM with standards from the EU, China, and the US. It also includes detailed performance data for numerous US coal units, specifically listing SO2 and NOx rates for 2014, as well as tested levels of filterable particulate matter and mercury across various plants.

The report identifies power plants as the primary source of sulfate particles causing regional haze in U.S. national parks, which significantly reduces visibility and diminishes visitor enjoyment. An analysis by Abt Associates estimates that eliminating power plant haze would provide a total annual benefit of $7.7 billion, comprising $4.3 billion in recreational visibility and $3.4 billion in residential visibility. The document highlights that improved visibility could increase park visitation by 10% to 25%, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and thousands of jobs for local communities. It recommends the implementation of 'best available retrofit technology' (BART) and a shift toward natural gas and renewable energy to achieve the national goal of remedying visibility impairment.

Sasol argues that retrofitting old plants to meet new emission standards is often technically impossible due to space and configuration constraints, and economically unjustifiable given the negligible impact on ambient air quality in some areas. The company highlights conflicts between air quality standards and national energy efficiency and waste strategies, while calling for extended compliance timelines and greater regulatory certainty across national, provincial, and local government tiers.

The document argues that Eskom's justifications for delaying emissions compliance—including plant decommissioning, water scarcity, and high costs—are untenable. The author contends that Eskom's capital expenditure estimates for air pollution controls are substantially inflated compared to similar projects in India and suggests alternative, lower-cost technologies like Dry Sorbent Injection (DSI) and Selective Non-catalytic Reduction (SNCR) to achieve emissions reductions.

The report argues against doubling the SO2 emission limit, asserting that the government's rationale regarding water use and cost is flawed. It contends that Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) is more effective and not prohibitively water-intensive, while Dry Sorbent Injection (DSI) poses significant risks to particulate matter control, mercury emissions, and groundwater quality. The author recommends reducing the MES to 200 mg/Nm3 to align with international norms.

The report finds that Eskom's current retrofit plan is insufficient to address sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions, leading to significant projected mortality and economic losses. Full compliance with the MES by 2025 would avoid approximately 2,300 deaths and R42 billion in economic costs annually. The most stringent scenario, applying Best Available Technology (BAT), would reduce health impacts by over 90% by 2031 compared to the current plan.

The document asserts that "clean coal" is impossible, as the entire coal cycle—from mining to combustion—causes severe damage to health, water, and the climate. It critiques three specific technologies: High Efficiency, Low Emissions (HELE) plants, which only reduce CO2 by up to 20% while increasing costs; Circulating Fluidised Bed (CFB) systems, which increase solid waste and N2O emissions; and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), which remains unproven in South Africa and faces high costs and geological transport challenges. The text highlights that Eskom and Sasol are primary coal users in South Africa, and that wind and solar power are cleaner, cheaper alternatives.

The document advocates for the UK government to commit to World Health Organization guideline levels for particulate matter by 2030 and establish a 'clean air duty' for all public bodies. It proposes a national Healthy Air Plan and the creation of a centralized, transparent monitoring network to better protect vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly. Additionally, it calls for the statutory enshrining of the right to breathe clean air in domestic law following the UK's exit from the EU, alongside urgent policies such as a national network of Clean Air Zones and restrictions on domestic solid fuel burning.

The document argues that the EU Ambient Air Quality (AAQ) Directives, particularly Directive 2008/50/EC, are essential tools for protecting public health and that failures to meet air quality targets are due to Member State implementation gaps rather than flaws in the legislation. The authors recommend maintaining binding limit values, updating standards to align with the latest World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, and strengthening enforcement through infringement procedures. Key recommendations include the adoption of short-term action plans for particulate matter (PM) pollution events, the inclusion of indoor air pollution in future revisions, and stricter enforcement of Euro Standards for vehicles to address the 'Dieselgate' scandal.

The document details how fossil fuels cause systemic health damage, affecting organs such as the heart, lungs, and brain, with specific vulnerabilities identified for children, the elderly, and pregnant women. It further maps these health risks to the entire fossil fuel lifecycle, from extraction and refining to combustion and waste.

The report details how fossil fuel production and use cause systemic health damage across all human life stages and geographic regions, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. It maps these impacts from site preparation and extraction to combustion and waste disposal, highlighting the role of pollutants like PM2.5, benzene, and heavy metals. The document also examines the societal harms of the industry, including forced displacements, human rights violations, and political corruption. It concludes by advocating for a 'just transition' that prioritizes public health, eliminates fossil fuel subsidies, and holds polluters accountable through the 'polluter-pays' principle.

The report 'De la cuna a la tumba' (From Cradle to Grave) details how fossil fuel production and use cause systemic health damage across all human life stages, from fetal development to old age. It highlights the disproportionate burden on marginalized communities and indigenous peoples, who often live in 'sacrifice zones.' The document maps specific health risks associated with extraction, refining, transport, and combustion, while also addressing the social disruptions and human rights violations linked to the industry. It concludes with a set of policy recommendations to end fossil fuel exploration, eliminate subsidies, and internalize health costs under the 'polluter pays' principle to achieve a just energy transition.

Black carbon (BC), or soot, is a potent short-lived climate pollutant resulting from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass. It causes significant respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, contributing to millions of excess deaths annually, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Economically, BC exposure and reliance on unclean cooking fuels cause trillions of dollars in losses. Climatically, BC warms the atmosphere by absorbing solar energy and accelerates ice melt in the Arctic and Himalayas by reducing albedo. The report argues that reducing BC emissions—especially through clean cooking fuels in sub-Saharan Africa and transportation improvements in urban areas—would prevent millions of premature deaths, reduce deforestation, and help limit global warming to 1.5°C.

Earthjustice argues that the American Coal Ash Association (ACAA) produced a 'junk science' report by ignoring critical groundwater exposure pathways, manipulating EPA screening levels for arsenic and chromium, and cherry-picking data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to make coal ash appear similar to common soil. The critique highlights that fly ash concentrations of chromium and arsenic can be thousands of times higher than groundwater protection screening levels and notes the ACAA's failure to address risks from particulate matter inhalation.