Search Climate Insights Directory

The document details the health impacts of toxic air pollutants and ozone smog from oil and gas operations in North Dakota, highlighting specific risks to children and residents of the Bakken region.

The document details how oil and gas emissions, including ozone smog from across the central and western US and local toxic pollutants, cause significant health issues in Ohio. It highlights that nearly 30,000 children in Ohio suffer annual asthma attacks due to industry-linked ozone, with high concentrations in the Cleveland-Akron, Columbus, and Cincinnati areas. Additionally, it notes that over 160 tons of hazardous toxic air pollutants were emitted from more than 90,000 sites in Ohio in 2011, and over 2,500 schools are located within a half-mile of these operations.

The document details the health impacts of oil and gas air pollution in Pennsylvania, highlighting that 1.5 million people and over 1,300 schools are located within a half-mile of active operations. It reports that residents in eight counties around Pittsburgh face cancer risks exceeding EPA levels of concern and that over 30,000 children in the state suffer annual asthma attacks due to industry-linked ozone.

The document details how oil and gas emissions, including ozone smog and toxic air pollutants, contribute to thousands of childhood asthma attacks and restricted adult activity across Tennessee. It highlights that over 170 tons of hazardous air pollutants were emitted from nearly 16,000 sites in the state in 2011, affecting 357,000 residents and over 500 schools located within a half-mile of operations.

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 document asserts that meeting the Paris Agreement's goals of keeping warming "well below 2°C" requires a phase-down of coal, oil, and natural gas production. It identifies six primary mechanisms within the UNFCCC framework to achieve this: incorporating supply-side targets in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), planning managed declines in long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies (LTSs), tracking extraction via the global stocktake, providing technical capacity-building support, redirecting finance away from fossil fuel infrastructure, and providing developed-country assistance to developing nations for economic transitions.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) provides a suite of tools and analyses to help countries meet their Paris Agreement commitments. Key research highlights include the potential for NDCs to include fossil fuel production phase-downs, the need for better guidance on the 'enhanced transparency framework', and the importance of 'fair shares' in achieving a 1.5°C limit. SEI's technical tools, such as LEAP for energy planning, the NDC Explorer for tracking ambitions, and the NDC-SDG Connections tool, aim to bridge the gap between climate science and national policy. Specific country analyses show that Kenya requires significant investment for low-carbon energy pathways, while sub-Saharan African nations could better leverage private sector investment for agricultural adaptation.

A coalition of global climate justice movements, gathered at COP22, issued a statement asserting that the election of Donald Trump must not derail global climate action. The signatories argue that Trump represents a broken economic system driven by corporate interests and fossil fuel lobbyists. They call for the end of all fossil fuel extraction, a transition to 100% renewable energy, and the fulfillment of climate finance and technology transfer commitments by rich nations. The document urges U.S. subnational governments to resist the federal administration's agenda and calls for a broad-based progressive movement to address intersecting injustices, including racism and sexism, alongside the climate crisis.

A group of US investors filed a class action lawsuit against Exxon Mobil Corporation on 8 November 2016, alleging the company made "false and misleading statements" about climate change impacts to artificially inflate its value. The claim follows a 13% drop in stock price and reports that Exxon may need to write down nearly 20% of its oil and gas assets. The document warns that other oil majors, including Chevron, Oxy, ConocoPhilipps, Total, BP, and Shell, also show poor disclosure quality according to InfluenceMap, and urges investors to engage with companies to ensure robust disclosure of energy transition risks.

The study evaluates the Arctic Council's ability to function as a learning organization. It finds that while the Council successfully bridged local and global policy on persistent organic pollutants (POPs), it has struggled to reframe its role and structure to effectively address climate change and the social impacts of extractive industries. The authors argue that 'governance fit' should be viewed as an organization's capacity for learning and adaptation rather than a fixed match between the scale of a problem and the scope of the governing body.

The document argues for a legally binding international treaty to end the impunity of transnational corporations (TNCs) and dismantle their systemic power. It proposes the creation of an international tribunal for TNCs and human rights, the establishment of joint and several liability across corporate value chains, and the reform of international financial institutions and trade regimes to prioritize human rights over investor profits. The text emphasizes the need for extraterritorial obligations for home states and the guarantee of free, collective, and swift legal recourse for affected communities.

The report finds that millions of Latinos in the US are disproportionately exposed to toxic air pollutants and ozone from oil and gas infrastructure, leading to significant health burdens. It highlights that 1.81 million Latinos live within a half-mile of such facilities and 1.78 million live in counties where cancer risks exceed EPA concern levels. The document argues that poverty and lack of health insurance exacerbate these risks, and calls for the EPA to regulate existing facilities, not just new ones, to protect public health and address climate change.

The report finds that millions of Latinos are exposed to toxic air pollutants and ozone smog from oil and gas facilities, leading to elevated cancer risks and childhood asthma attacks. These health threats are exacerbated by higher poverty rates and lower health insurance coverage within Latino populations. The authors argue for comprehensive EPA regulations covering both new and existing oil and gas infrastructure to reduce methane and toxic emissions.

The report uses photochemical modeling to compare a 2025 'Baseline' scenario with a 'Zero-Oil&Gas' scenario to quantify the contribution of the oil and gas sector to ozone concentrations and associated health burdens across the continental United States.

The report identifies natural gas-driven pneumatic controllers as the second-largest source of methane emissions in the US oil and gas industry. It concludes that mature, cost-effective zero-emission technologies are available and currently in use in the United States and Canada, with some jurisdictions in both countries implementing regulations to mandate their installation.

The report evaluates alternatives to gas-driven pneumatic controllers, which are the second-largest source of methane emissions in the US oil and gas industry. It identifies electronic controllers and instrument air as the two most mature and widely applicable zero-emission technologies. An economic analysis of 2,032 site configurations found that these solutions are cost-effective—with abatement costs below the US EPA's social cost of methane ($1,354/tCH4)—in the vast majority of cases, particularly for sites with four or more controllers or those incorporating chemical injection pumps.

The report estimates that oil and gas emissions will cause over 750,000 summertime asthma attacks in children under 18 across the U.S. in 2025. It identifies volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) as the primary precursors to this ozone smog, noting that pollution travels far downwind to affect all 48 contiguous states. The analysis highlights Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Pennsylvania as states with the highest number of asthma attacks. To mitigate these effects, the report recommends implementing leak detection and repair (LDAR) programs, replacing high-emitting pneumatic equipment, and using vapor recovery units on storage tanks.

The document establishes a business-as-usual (BAU) GHG emission reference case for Pakistan, projecting emissions from 2000 to 2030. It identifies agriculture as the largest emission source and analyzes how variations in GDP growth and autonomous energy efficiency improvements (AEEI) impact future emission levels. The reference case assumes an average annual GDP growth rate of 6% between 2015 and 2030.

The Clean Air Task Force evaluates the EPA's first-ever methane standards for new and modified oil and gas sources. While praising the removal of exemptions for low-producing wells and the implementation of fixed inspection frequencies, the author argues the rule is inadequate because it ignores existing sources, which account for 75% of the sector's methane emissions. To meet the White House's goal of a 40-45% reduction in methane pollution by 2025, the author asserts that the EPA must now regulate existing sources to reduce emissions by approximately 75 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent.

Earthjustice supports the BLM's proposed methane rule, which covers both new and existing equipment and aims to reduce flaring and leaks. The organization argues that the rule is essential for climate mitigation, as methane is 86 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, and could capture up to $800 million in taxpayer revenue over a decade. However, Earthjustice urges the BLM to close loopholes regarding leak inspections and flaring allowances to ensure the rule's effectiveness.