Coal and Gas Sites Worldwide Threaten Public Health of Over 2bn People, Analysis Shows

One-fourth of the world's residents lives within 5km of active fossil fuel facilities, possibly threatening the physical condition of over two billion human beings as well as vital ecosystems, based on first-of-its-kind analysis.

International Distribution of Coal and Gas Operations

More than 18.3k oil, gas, and coal sites are currently located throughout over 170 states worldwide, occupying a extensive expanse of the Earth's land.

Proximity to drilling wells, refineries, transport lines, and other oil and gas installations raises the danger of tumors, lung diseases, cardiac problems, premature birth, and fatality, while also posing grave risks to water supplies and air cleanliness, and damaging land.

Close Proximity Dangers and Future Expansion

Approximately 463 million residents, encompassing one hundred twenty-four million youth, presently reside within 0.6 miles of oil and gas operations, while an additional 3,500 or so new facilities are now planned or in progress that could compel over 130 million more people to endure emissions, burning, and spills.

Nearly all operational operations have created toxic concentrated areas, transforming adjacent neighborhoods and critical environments into so-called disposable areas – severely toxic locations where low-income and vulnerable communities shoulder the disproportionate load of exposure to pollution.

Health and Natural Impacts

This analysis describes the harmful physical toll from drilling, treatment, and transportation, as well as demonstrating how spills, ignitions, and construction destroy priceless ecological systems and weaken individual rights – particularly of those residing in proximity to oil, natural gas, and coal mining infrastructure.

The report emerges as international representatives, not including the USA – the largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases – meet in Belem, Brazil, for the 30th annual environmental talks during rising frustration at the slow advancement in eliminating oil, gas, and coal, which are driving planetary collapse and civil liberties infringements.

"Oil and gas companies and their public supporters have argued for decades that economic growth needs coal, oil, and gas. But we know that in the name of economic growth, they have in fact favored self-interest and profits without red lines, infringed rights with near-complete exemption, and destroyed the climate, natural world, and seas."

Climate Talks and International Pressure

The climate conference is held as the Philippines, Mexico, and Jamaica are dealing with superstorms that were worsened by higher air and sea heat levels, with nations under increasing demand to take firm action to oversee oil and gas firms and stop extraction, subsidies, licenses, and consumption in order to comply with a landmark decision by the global judicial body.

Last week, disclosures revealed how over over 5.3k fossil fuel industry influence peddlers have been allowed admission to the UN climate talks in the recent years, hindering environmental measures while their employers pump historic volumes of petroleum and gas.

Study Process and Results

This data-driven study is based on a first-of-its-kind geospatial exercise by scientists who analyzed information on the identified positions of fossil fuel infrastructure projects with population data, and collections on vital habitats, carbon outputs, and native communities' areas.

A third of all active petroleum, coal, and gas sites overlap with one or more essential ecosystems such as a wetland, woodland, or river system that is teeming with wildlife and vital for carbon sequestration or where ecological degradation or catastrophe could lead to environmental breakdown.

The true global scope is possibly larger due to deficiencies in the documentation of coal and gas projects and limited census information throughout nations.

Environmental Inequality and Native Peoples

The data show entrenched environmental unfairness and racism in exposure to petroleum, natural gas, and coal mining industries.

Native communities, who represent one in twenty of the international residents, are disproportionately exposed to life-shortening fossil fuel infrastructure, with a sixth facilities positioned on Indigenous lands.

"We endure long-term battle fatigue … We physically won't survive [this]. We are not the starters but we have endured the impact of all the conflict."

The expansion of oil, gas, and coal has also been connected with land grabs, traditional loss, social fragmentation, and economic hardship, as well as violence, online threats, and lawsuits, both criminal and legal, against community leaders peacefully challenging the development of conduits, extraction operations, and further operations.

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