A new report traces the life cycle of fossil fuels — from exploration and extraction to combustion and decommissioning — and found stark consequences at each stage for the health of people and the planet alike. “By examining fossil fuels’ health hazards across their entire life cycle, this report makes an important addition to our current understanding of fossil fuels’ health impacts,” Dr. Philip Landrigan, a pediatrician and epidemiologist at Boston College, U.S., not involved with the study, told Mongabay in an email. The report, published by the Global Climate and Health Alliance, compiles roughly 650 studies, 20 personal testimonials and more than a dozen case studies to create a picture of the environmental and health consequences of fossil fuels. The researchers first outline the human health harms associated with 20 pollutants commonly used in fossil fuels. They note, for example, that benzene, used in fossil fuel extraction and refining, is linked to cancer, including childhood cancer, and compromised immune functioning. Fine particulate matter PM2.5, commonly found in combusted fossil fuels, is associated with preterm birth, premature death, respiratory illness and certain cancers. Similarly, arsenic, released during coal mining, burning and found in oil and gas wastewater, is linked to various cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cognitive impairment. A developing fetus in utero and children are among the most vulnerable to fossil fuels, the report finds. Prenatal exposure to coal mining, for example, is associated with low birth weight and premature births. Children who live near fossil fuel facilities are at heightened risks…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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