As Europe sweats through the hottest week on record for June, the continent faces the looming spectre of wildfires – just one year after last year’s deadly events in Turkiye and Southern Europe. But wildfire season is no longer episodic. It has evolved into a year-long threat, fueled by a warmer climate and its side […] Continue reading ->
A landmark UNICEF report that maps children’s exposure to overlapping climate hazards finds that almost half the world’s children – 1.1 billion kids – now contend with at least three threats at once. To reach school each morning, 15-year-old Lorna first has to swim across the Kemp Welch River, known to locals for its strong […] Continue reading ->
Home to 1 in 4 people globally, the region should brace for “multi-hazards” and poor air quality apart from heat and water stress, according to a new report. The authors called on countries in the fractious neighbourhood to cooperate on data and form common solutions. The monsoon season this year is likely to bring more […] Continue reading ->
The growing impact of climate change on respiratory health, including through longer pollen seasons, wildfires and more exterme heat, was the focus of an high-level event on the margins of the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, organized by the Geneva Health Forum and Health Diplomacy Alliance. The event followed on the heels of a […] Continue reading ->
While the health harms of biomass cookstoves, and the smoke they produce inside the homes of developing countries has received significant attention in the past two decades, a wide range of chemical and pathogenic air pollutants create hazards in modern homes and buildings – also threatening health. Investments in ventilation, air filtration, monitoring, and clean […] Continue reading ->
The first international conference on phasing out the oil, gas and coal igniting the climate crisis ended with 57 governments representing every continent and a third of the global economy declaring the transition away from fossil fuels is now irreversible. “Actions taken to date prove that the energy transition is past its point of no […] Continue reading ->
Less than 0.1% of all philanthropic funding has gone to the fight for clean air. Yet globally, nearly eight million deaths are attributed to the particles and gases that pollute the air – making air pollution the second biggest risk factor for premature death after high blood pressure. “Air pollution is one of the world’s […] Continue reading ->
A joint announcement by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) on microplastics made inaccurate claims about how many plastic particles exist in the brain, while providing an unclear regulatory plan to address this. But a study published in Nature Health found microplastics in nearly every one of its 191 […] Continue reading ->
The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) will soon unveil a new Roadmap on Air Quality and Health, following on from a meeting with countries and other stakeholders in February in Mexico. The PAHO strategy dovetails with an ambitious new regional action plan by the UN Environment Programme – which supports the work of environment ministries. While […] Continue reading ->
Lack of access to clean cooking fuel and technologies has extensive impacts on health, environment, economy, and women’s equality, say experts at the World Bank Group Spring Meeting. WASHINGTON– Nearly a billion people lack access to clean cooking on the African continent. A heavy reliance on charcoal, firewood, and kerosene pollutes homes with toxic particulate […] Continue reading ->