As fine particulate matter pollution, the extraction, transportation, burning—all stages of fossil fuels’ life cycle—disproportionately harm the communities’ health. These effects start even in utero and last a lifetime. These alarming findings come from a new report from the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA). It’s the first all-encompassing, worldwide look at how fossil fuels threaten our health from cradle to grave. The report paints a startling picture. Just reported in 2022, global fossil fuel subsidies hit an all-time high of $7 trillion—over 7 percent of global GDP. This generous financial support opens the door to some very difficult questions regarding our priorities. The climate impacts of fossil fuels are grave and wreaking havoc at an alarming pace.
The International Monetary Fund makes clear that the burden of fossil fuel subsidies drags the entire economy down. They are a significant contributing factor to many health problems. For Jeni Miller, the executive director of the GCHA, the answer was a time-sensitive call to action. She called on governments to protect public health by stopping all new oil, gas and coal developments. These demands for increased ambition will be taken to this November’s COP30 UN climate conference in Brazil.
Health Impacts from Cradle to Grave
The GCHA report uncovers surprising truths. All of these harmful effects from fossil fuel extraction and usage begin harming children before they’re even born. Pregnant women who are exposed to fossil fuel pollution are at increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. This constant exposure can result in a multitude of long-term health problems for their kids.
As kids develop, they’re more at risk for respiratory illnesses and other serious health effects associated with air pollution from local, nearby fossil fuel facilities. Neha Mahant, a local health worker from Korba, India, reported an increase in respiratory ailments among children and elderly residents living close to coal mines. These discoveries paint a grim picture of how the communities that live closest to fossil fuel facilities face a heavier load of health impacts.
The consequences go beyond childhood and adolescence and into adulthood and old age. Recent studies found that workers in fossil fuel extraction and refining have a greater risk of diseases such as lung cancer. Their prolonged exposure to toxic substances contributes to this new risk. Additionally, the report ridicules any attempts at industry influence by emphasizing the immediate need to act to prevent these preventable health risks caused by fossil fuels.
Economic Burden of Fossil Fuel Subsidies
That $7 trillion in fossil fuel subsidies isn’t just draining the public purse, it’s threatening our environmental sustainability. It places an economic burden on healthcare systems around the world. These harmful subsidies take money away that could be invested in proven public health efforts to prevent disease and improve health.
Today’s GCHA report celebrates an incredible opportunity. If countries reallocated even 10 percent of their spending into the acceleration of green energy and climate-friendly operations, they could exponentially improve health impacts everywhere. Our national alliance is made up of over 200 organizations. Combined, they represent 46 million health workers around the world, and together they’re calling for these harmful subsidies to stop.
Given the recent record-high carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, the GCHA calls for urgent, ambitious policy changes. By stopping financial backing for fossil fuel undertakings, countries can reconcile their fiscal interests in accordance with the necessities of public wellbeing.
A Call for Action at COP30
As world leaders prepare for the COP30 UN climate conference in Brazil this November, Jeni Miller and other advocates from the GCHA stress the importance of addressing the health crises linked to fossil fuels. Specifically, they are calling on governments to pledge to stop all new oil, gas and coal developments. This action is an important first step in a comprehensive approach to address climate change and the resulting adverse health impacts.
Shweta Narayan, author of the report, points out that removing fossil fuel subsidies is a necessary step to protecting public health. By shifting investment towards renewable energy sources and sustainable infrastructure, countries can foster healthier environments and reduce the prevalence of diseases linked to fossil fuel exposure.