Search Climate Insights Directory

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing groundWork, Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, and the Highveld Environmental Justice Network, filed an appeal on May 20, 2015, against the atmospheric emission licence (AEL) issued to Eskom's Camden Power Station. The appeal argues that the Gert Sibande District Municipality failed to consider the severe health impacts and poor air quality of the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) when granting emission limit postponements that allow pollutants to exceed national minimum emission standards (MES).

This document is a formal appeal submitted by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) on behalf of groundWork, Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, and the Highveld Environmental Justice Network. The appeal challenges the variation of the Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) for Eskom's Hendrina Power Station, issued by the Nkangala District Municipality on 31 March 2015. The appellants argue that the AEL improperly incorporates postponements of Minimum Emission Standards (MES) granted by the National Air Quality Officer, thereby permitting pollution levels that exceed national standards in a declared priority area with already compromised air quality.

A 2015 survey of US broadcast meteorologists reveals that over 90% believe climate change is occurring, with nearly 90% of those attributing it at least partly to human activity. While most believe climate change has influenced or will influence local weather, agriculture, and transportation, optimism regarding the ability to limit further change or avoid harmful impacts remains low. Additionally, nearly 70% of weathercasters believe it is appropriate to report climate science, and over 90% believe their audiences are at least somewhat interested in local climate impacts.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) is calling on the South African Department of Environmental Affairs to formally publish the draft Strategy to Address Air Pollution in Dense Low-Income Settlements for public comment by 30 April 2015. The CER argues that residents in low-income settlements suffer disproportionate exposure to poor air quality from industrial sources and domestic fuel burning, leading to severe respiratory and cardio-vascular illnesses, particularly in children and the elderly. The document highlights that the strategy was a deliverable as far back as 2010 and is essential for local governments, such as the Nkangala District Municipality, to meet air quality compliance goals by 2020. The CER asserts that the state's failure to address these health risks violates constitutional rights to an environment not harmful to health and the progressive realisation of adequate housing.

This guide serves as a template for science communication, using sea level rise as a case study to demonstrate how to tailor scientific information for various audiences and formats. It outlines a four-step process for planning communication: setting goals, understanding the audience, defining take-home messages, and creating a core 'And, But, Therefore' statement. The portfolio includes practical examples of verbal modules (sound bites, elevator pitches, and presentations) and written modules (Twitter, Facebook, policymaker memos, op-eds, and blogs). Additionally, it provides technical guidance on presentation design and audience engagement to ensure scientific messages are accessible and actionable.

The document argues that climate change adaptation measures involving green and blue areas provide significant co-benefits for human health, which are often overlooked in policy design. It develops a conceptual framework based on five pathways: prevention of climate and pollution effects, improvement of ecosystem quality, social environment benefits, economic activity development, and interaction with microorganisms. The authors review existing literature using objective, self-reported, and mixed methodologies, finding a generally positive but inconsistent correlation between natural environments and health outcomes, with green areas being more extensively studied than blue areas.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) provides submissions on the first draft of the Nkangala District Municipality (NDM) Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP). The CER identifies significant gaps in technical and financial capacity, a lack of alignment with the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) AQMP, and deficiencies in health impact assessments and monitoring. The submissions call for the NDM to prioritize staffing, ensure transparency in air quality data, and implement stricter dust control regulations.

The White House Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience provided 35 recommendations across seven themes to help U.S. communities adapt to climate change. Key priorities include increasing coordination between federal agencies, integrating climate vulnerabilities into all federal policy and funding, and supporting vulnerable populations, including tribal and low-income communities. The federal government has responded with several initiatives, such as the Climate Resilience Toolkit, the National Disaster Resilience Competition, and specific funding requests in the FY 2016 budget for flood, coastal, and drought resilience.

The document is a statement from a coalition of civil society organizations opposing a proposed EU directive on trade secrets. The coalition argues that the directive's broad definition of trade secrets and inadequate safeguards would hinder the work of journalists and whistleblowers, restrict the mobility of professional workers, and allow companies in the health, environment, and food safety sectors to withhold critical public interest data. Specifically, it highlights risks to patient safety in pharmaceuticals, the violation of the Aarhus Convention regarding environmental emissions, and the lack of transparency in EFSA food safety assessments. The coalition also warns that similar protections being lobbied for in the US could be integrated into the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), potentially setting a restrictive global standard.

The document argues that the current 75 ppb ozone standard is insufficient to protect public health, particularly for sensitive populations like children and asthmatics. It advocates for a 60 ppb primary standard based on scientific evidence of lung function decrements and inflammation at that level. It also calls for a separate secondary standard of 7 ppm-hrs using the W126 metric to protect vegetation and ecosystems, specifically in Class I areas.

The statement criticizes the South African government for granting air quality standard postponements to Eskom, Sasol, and Engen on 24 February 2014. It asserts that these postponements effectively legalize toxic air, contradicting Section 24 of the constitution and a 1995 promise by President Mandela. The document highlights the severe health impacts of Eskom's pollution, estimating 20,000 premature deaths and an economic cost of R230 billion, while arguing that industries have had sufficient time since 2004 to implement pollution control technologies.

The document details the creation of the first comprehensive Heat Action Plan in South Asia, implemented by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in 2013. The plan focuses on an early warning system, public awareness, and healthcare capacity building to protect vulnerable populations from heat-related morbidity and mortality.

The report links the expansion of the palm oil industry in Southeast Asia to the use of fire for land preparation, which frequently results in uncontrollable landscape fires. These fires, particularly those on drained peatlands, release hazardous particulate matter that causes an estimated 110,000 deaths annually in the region. The document highlights the exacerbating role of climate-driven droughts and the significant economic losses in tourism and industry, while calling for a global shift toward deforestation-free and peat-free palm oil production.

The document contrasts ConocoPhillips' claims of uncertainty regarding climate change's effects on public health with findings from the IPCC and the U.S. National Climate Assessment. It further highlights contradictions between the company's public acknowledgments of human-induced warming and its support for climate-denying trade groups and opposition to U.S. climate legislation.

The February 2015 Peace & Security Council Report details the AU's efforts to manage continental security crises. Key outcomes include the authorization of a 7,500-strong Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) to combat Boko Haram and a new tiered funding model for the AU budget. However, the report notes significant setbacks, such as the deferral of the Commission of Inquiry report on South Sudan and deep divisions within the International Contact Group on Libya. It also highlights the high risk of election-related violence across 18 African states in 2015 and the ongoing struggle to defeat al-Shabaab in Somalia.

The document highlights that every region of the United States has seen an increase in heavy precipitation over the last 50 years, a trend expected to continue as the climate warms. It identifies five 'hidden' health risks following floods: drowning in vehicles, contamination of drinking water, sewage backup in homes, contamination of recreational waterways, and toxic indoor mold. The text argues that while immediate dangers like drowning and electrocution are known, the long-term public health burdens—including respiratory issues, gastrointestinal diseases, and mental health problems—are often overlooked. It calls for aggressive reductions in carbon emissions from fossil fuels and the creation of more resilient communities to mitigate these escalating risks.

The report argues that TTIP's regulatory cooperation provisions, primarily based on EU proposals, would institutionalize oversight of US state-level legislation and regulations by federal and international bodies. This framework would likely lead to 'regulatory chill' through onerous procedural requirements, such as early warning systems and trade impact assessments, which favor industry influence over public interest. The document highlights that US states often act as the primary regulators of toxic chemicals and pesticides when federal action is lax, and that TTIP's goal of 'regulatory compatibility' could effectively set federal or international standards as a ceiling, preventing states from adopting more protective measures. It specifically warns that such mechanisms could be used to challenge state-level bans on substances like Bisphenol A (BPA) or pesticide residue monitoring programs in California.

The document argues that climate change threatens public health by increasing the risks of food- and water-borne illnesses, which in turn exacerbates malnutrition, particularly in children. It highlights the role of rising temperatures and extreme rainfall in promoting the growth of pathogens like Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Vibrio cholerae, as well as the expansion of cyanobacterial algal blooms. The text emphasizes that these risks create a cycle of diarrhea and malnutrition, especially for the most vulnerable populations who may turn to unsafe food sources during climate-induced scarcity. It calls for health professionals to advocate for strong global climate agreements and to integrate food safety risks into national climate adaptation plans.

The report finds that Americans are generally unaware of the health risks associated with global warming, with 70% having given the issue little or no thought. Only 31% believe global warming is currently harming the health of people in the U.S. to a moderate or great deal, and only 27% could name at least one related health problem. While there is limited awareness of current risks, 34% to 38% of respondents believe conditions such as air pollution, pollen allergies, and heat stroke will become more common in their communities over the next 10 years. Public trust for information on this topic is highest for primary-care doctors (49%), followed by family/friends, the CDC, climate scientists, and the American Medical Association. Additionally, nearly half of respondents believe federal agencies like the CDC, NIH, or FEMA (47%) and the U.S. Congress (46%) should do more to protect the public from these health problems.

The document defines energy poverty as a lack of sufficient alternatives to access adequate, affordable, and sustainable energy services, which hinders economic and human development. It highlights that 1.3 billion people lack electricity and 2.7 billion rely on biomass, leading to severe health issues. The author argues that energy poverty is both a cause and consequence of general poverty, creating a 'poverty trap' that requires specific policy interventions beyond general economic growth. The briefing notes that universal energy access by 2030 is financially feasible, requiring an annual investment of 30 to 35 billion dollars, which is significantly less than global fossil fuel subsidies.