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BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE PHILADELPHIA PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY; PHYSICIANS, SCIENTISTS, AND ENGINEERS FOR HEALTHY ENERGY; DR. BERNARD D. GOLDSTEIN; DR. WALTER TSOU; DR. JEROME A. PAULSON; DR. WILLIAM ROM; DR. MEHERNOSH P. KHAN; DR. SANDRA STEINGRABER; DR. SIMONA PERRY; DR. ROBERT OSWALD; DR. MICHELLE BAMBERGER; KATHRYN VENNIE; AND EARTHWORKS
The brief, filed by a coalition of physicians, scientists, and environmental advocates, contends that the natural gas industry systematically suppresses public health data through federal exemptions, state laws, and confidential legal settlements. It argues that the public interest in understanding the health risks of hydraulic fracturing—such as water contamination and air pollution—outweighs the private interests of gas companies in maintaining secrecy. The authors specifically highlight the Hallowich family's experience with deteriorating health due to nearby gas operations and urge the court to reverse a lower court's decision to seal the case records.
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Document type: Legal commentary
Tr-Ash Talk: The Coal Breath of Betrayal
The author criticizes a House amendment that exempts coal ash ponds and landfills from federal regulation, arguing it prioritizes the interests of the coal industry over public health and ignores the risks demonstrated by the 2008 Kingston, TN spill.
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Document type: Statement
EPA’s Proposed Emissions Standards for Natural Gas Production and Transmission
The document argues that the EPA's proposed air pollution standards for the natural gas sector are essential for protecting public health and the environment, particularly through the implementation of 'green completion' technology to capture methane and smog-forming emissions from fracked wells. The authors contend that these standards are cost-effective, as the sale of recovered gas offsets compliance costs, and that they will not hinder domestic production, citing examples from Colorado and Wyoming. The letter specifically rejects proposed industry loopholes from the American Petroleum Institute (API), such as VOC percentage thresholds and implementation delays, which the authors claim would exempt millions of tons of pollution and undermine the standards' effectiveness.
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Document type: Statement
Putting the brakes on road traffic fatalities in Africa
The document argues that road traffic accidents are a critical development issue in Africa, with fatalities forecast to rise as motorisation increases without corresponding infrastructure improvements. By comparing a 'base case' forecast with an 'improved scenario' where death rates are stabilised at the current continental average of 32 per 100,000 people, the authors estimate that Africa could prevent 4.2 million deaths and add US$ 234 billion to its GDP by 2050. The brief highlights that the economic gains, primarily driven by a larger labour force, would far outweigh the estimated costs of intervention, which range from US$ 1.7 billion to US$ 24 billion.
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Document type: Policy brief
Voices of FDA Scientists: Measuring Progress on Scientific Integrity
The document reports that while FDA scientists in 2011 expressed increased respect for agency leadership and higher morale compared to 2006, significant concerns remain regarding corporate and political pressure influencing agency decisions. It highlights a broader pattern of scientific interference across multiple US federal agencies and provides specific recommendations for the FDA and Congress to improve transparency, accountability, and the independence of advisory committees.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Indirect Expropriation
The document analyzes the tension between protecting foreign investments and the sovereign right of states to regulate for the public interest. It examines how the lack of a clear definition of 'indirect expropriation' in most investment treaties allows arbitration tribunals to apply varying criteria—such as the 'sole effect doctrine' or proportionality—which can lead to substantial compensation claims even for legitimate public health or environmental regulations.
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Document type: Report
After the Storm: The Hidden Health Risks of Flooding in a Warming World
The document highlights the link between a warming climate and the increase in heavy precipitation events across the United States. It emphasizes that while flood impacts are typically measured by property damage and immediate loss of life, there are substantial 'hidden' public health costs. These include waterborne gastrointestinal illnesses from contaminated water, respiratory and neurological problems caused by indoor mold, and increased mental health struggles. The report identifies five specific hidden risks: drowning while driving, contaminated drinking water, sewage backup in homes, contamination of recreational waterways, and toxic indoor mold. It advocates for aggressive carbon emission reductions and the creation of more resilient communities to mitigate these risks.
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Document type: Executive summary
Measuring Progress on Scientific Integrity
The report finds that while FDA scientists express increased confidence in agency leadership and a general improvement in protecting public health compared to 2006, significant challenges remain. These include persistent political and commercial interference in regulatory decisions, uncertainty regarding the right to publish research or speak to the press, and a perceived decline in the consistency between agency actions and scientific findings.
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Document type: Report
Global air quality and health co-benefits of mitigating near-term climate change through methane and black carbon emission controls
The research evaluates 14 emission control measures for black carbon and methane to determine their impact on air quality and health by 2030. The study finds that full implementation could significantly reduce global surface concentrations of PM2.5 and ozone, avoiding millions of premature deaths annually, with the vast majority of these benefits occurring in Asia.
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Document type: Research paper
Heads They Win, Tails We Lose
The report details how corporate interests corrupt science through research suppression, ghostwriting, and the vilification of scientists, while also manipulating federal agencies, Congress, and the judiciary. It assesses the initial steps taken by the Obama administration to improve transparency and scientific integrity and provides a comprehensive set of recommendations for further federal and private-sector reforms to ensure policy is based on independent science.
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Document type: Report
STRENGTHENING OF THE WORK OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER SERVICE THROUGH THE SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER SERVICE AMENDMENT BILL, 2011
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) argues that the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill, 2011, introduces problematic penalties for issuing air pollution-related warnings without permission. CER contends this could criminalise independent air quality monitoring and contradict existing protections in the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA). They propose removing the 'air pollution-related warning' offence and explicitly aligning the Weather Service's objectives with the Constitution and NEMA.
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Document type: Statement
les enseignements du rapport SREX rédigé par le GIEC et des catastrophes en Afrique : Gestion des extrêmes climatiques
The document translates the global scientific findings of the IPCC SREX report into a regional context for Africa, emphasizing that disaster risk is increasing due to both climate change and socio-economic factors. It argues for an integrated approach that combines disaster risk management (DRM) with climate change adaptation (CCA) and sustainable development. Key regional findings include projected increases in heatwaves and droughts in Southern Africa and increased heavy precipitation in Eastern Africa. The report highlights the extreme vulnerability of coastal cities and the agricultural sector, while advocating for national legislative frameworks, early warning systems, and international financial mechanisms to build long-term resilience.
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Document type: Report
Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in the Health Sector: Lessons from the IPCC SREX Report
The document translates the IPCC SREX report's findings into actionable insights for the health sector, emphasizing that disaster risk is increasing due to both climate extremes and human vulnerability. It details the direct and indirect health impacts of heatwaves, floods, and droughts, while arguing for a shift from incremental to transformational changes in health infrastructure and policy to build long-term resilience.
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Document type: Briefing
ECOHEALTH AND WATERSHEDS
The report examines how Canadian watershed organizations interact with the determinants of human health. Through self-assessments of five organizations—the Fraser Basin Council, Cowichan Watershed Board, Save Our Seine River Environment Inc., Otonabee Region Conservation Authority, and Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority—the study finds that while watershed activities often have implicit health benefits, there is a significant lack of explicit integration and capacity to collaborate with the public health sector. The authors argue that watersheds can serve as integrative mechanisms for intersectoral action, potentially delivering a "double dividend" of improved environmental and human health.
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Document type: Research paper
FACT SHEET
The BalticClimate toolkit provides climate science overviews, scenarios, and tailored tools for policy-makers, spatial planners, and the business community in the Baltic Sea Region. It offers projections for sectors such as agriculture, energy, and housing, alongside over 120 practical examples of 'win-win-win' solutions for adaptation, mitigation, and economic development. Specific tools include checklists for policy-makers, a Vulnerability Assessment framework for spatial planners, and a Climate SWOT analysis for small- and medium-sized enterprises.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Protecting Public Health from Climate Change: A Global Call to Action
The Global Climate and Health Alliance asserts that climate change is the greatest global health threat of the 21st century, particularly impacting sub-Saharan Africa. The document commits health professionals to reducing the carbon footprint of medical institutions, increasing health system resilience, and advocating for a binding global agreement that prioritizes human health and equitable emissions reductions.
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Document type: Statement
The Reduction in Air Quality Impacts and Associated Economic Benefits of Mitigation Policy: Summary of Results from the EC RTD ClimateCost Project
The document finds that GHG mitigation policies significantly improve air quality by reducing emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. In the EU27, this leads to substantial health gains, including an increase in average life expectancy by one month by 2050 and annual economic co-benefits ranging from €44 billion to €95 billion. The analysis also highlights significant benefits in China and India, where life expectancy gains are estimated at 19 and 30 months respectively by 2050. Additionally, mitigation reduces regulatory abatement costs for businesses and lessens the acidification and eutrophication of ecosystems.
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Document type: Briefing
Second National Communication on Climate Change for Saint Lucia
The Second National Communication for Saint Lucia details the country's climate profile, reporting a 2% increase in total CO2e emissions between 1994 and 2000, totaling 579 Gg. The report identifies high vulnerability in tourism, agriculture, and water resources due to projected temperature increases (up to 3.6C by the 2090s) and rainfall decreases (up to 57% by the end of the century). It proposes two mitigation scenarios to reduce emissions by 19.6% and 25.7% by 2020, respectively, and outlines a series of adaptation measures including revised building codes, coastal setbacks, and integrated watershed management. The document emphasizes significant gaps in financial, human, and technical resources, calling for the mainstreaming of climate resilience into national development planning.
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Document type: Report
Tr-Ash Talk: Gearing Up for a Nasty Coal Ash Vote
The document opposes H.R. 2273, a bill that would prevent the EPA from designating coal ash as hazardous waste and limit federal oversight of coal ash management. It highlights the 2008 Kingston coal ash disaster in East Tennessee as evidence of the risks associated with poor management and alleges that the bill's sponsors have received significant financial donations from coal interests.
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Document type: Statement
Reliability-Only Dispatch: Protecting Lives & Human Health While Ensuring System Reliability
The report advocates for a 'Reliability-Only Dispatch' mechanism to ensure that coal- and oil-fired power plants granted extensions to comply with the Air Toxics Rule operate only when essential for grid reliability. This approach is proposed as an alternative to 'blanket' one-year extensions requested by industry groups, which the author argues would unnecessarily prolong public exposure to hazardous air pollutants. Modeling of a hypothetical scenario suggests that this targeted dispatch approach could prevent nearly 4,000 premature deaths and save $29 billion in health damages compared to unrestricted extensions for the same units.
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Document type: Report