"A quarter of the world's population lives within three miles (5km) of operational fossil fuel projects, potentially threatening the health of more than 2 billion people as well as critical ecosystems, according to first-of-its-kind research. A damning new report by Amnesty International, shared exclusively with the Guardian, found that more than 18,300 oil, gas and coal sites are currently distributed across 170 countries worldwide, occupying a vast area of the Earth's surface."
"Most active projects have created pollution hotspots, turning nearby communities and critical ecosystems into so-called sacrifice zones heavily contaminated areas where low-income and marginalized groups bear the disproportionate burden of exposure to pollution and toxins. The report details the devastating health toll from extraction, processing and transportation, as well as demonstrating how leaks, flares and construction destroy irreplaceable natural ecosystems and undermine human rights particularly of those living near oil, gas and coal infrastructure."
More than 18,300 oil, gas and coal sites operate across 170 countries, occupying vast areas of the Earth's surface. A quarter of the global population lives within 5km of operational fossil fuel projects, exposing over 2 billion people and ecosystems to health harms. Almost 463 million people, including 124 million children, live within 1km of fossil fuel sites. Approximately 3,500 additional sites are proposed or under development, potentially exposing 135 million more people to fumes, flares and spills. Proximity to infrastructure elevates risks of cancer, respiratory and heart disease, premature birth and death, contaminates water and air, degrades land, and creates pollution "sacrifice zones" that disproportionately affect low-income and marginalized communities. Leaks, flares and construction destroy irreplaceable ecosystems and undermine human rights.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]