Oil and Gas Operations Globally Threaten Public Health of 2 Billion Residents, Analysis Shows

One-fourth of the global residents lives within three miles of functioning oil, gas, and coal sites, potentially endangering the physical condition of exceeding 2 billion people as well as vital environmental systems, based on groundbreaking study.

Worldwide Presence of Fossil Fuel Operations

In excess of 18,300 petroleum, gas, and coal mining facilities are presently located in 170 states around the world, covering a large expanse of the planet's land.

Nearness to drilling wells, refineries, transport lines, and additional fossil fuel facilities raises the threat of cancer, breathing ailments, heart disease, early delivery, and mortality, while also creating serious threats to drinking water and air quality, and degrading land.

Close Proximity Hazards and Planned Expansion

Almost half a billion individuals, including over 120 million children, currently live within 1km of coal and gas sites, while an additional 3.5k or so proposed sites are currently proposed or being built that could force 135 million further people to face fumes, gas flares, and accidents.

Nearly all active operations have formed contamination zones, converting surrounding communities and essential environments into so-called sacrifice zones – highly polluted areas where economically disadvantaged and marginalized communities shoulder the unequal weight of exposure to contaminants.

Medical and Environmental Impacts

The report describes the severe health impact from drilling, refining, and shipping, as well as demonstrating how seepages, flares, and building harm priceless environmental habitats and weaken human rights – particularly of those dwelling close to petroleum, gas, and coal mining facilities.

This occurs as world leaders, without the US – the biggest past source of greenhouse gases – meet in Belem, the South American nation, for the thirtieth global climate conference during increasing concern at the limited movement in phasing out coal, oil, and gas, which are leading to planetary collapse and rights abuses.

"Oil and gas companies and its government backers have argued for decades that societal progress requires fossil fuels. But it is clear that in the name of economic growth, they have instead favored greed and revenues without red lines, violated rights with near-complete exemption, and damaged the atmosphere, ecosystems, and seas."

Global Talks and International Pressure

The environmental summit takes place as the Philippines, the North American country, and Jamaica are dealing with extreme weather events that were strengthened by higher air and sea heat levels, with countries under growing pressure to take decisive action to oversee fossil fuel corporations and halt extraction, subsidies, licenses, and use in order to adhere to a landmark judgment by the world court.

In recent days, reports revealed how over 5,350 fossil fuel industry lobbyists have been allowed entry to the UN global conferences in the recent years, hindering emission reductions while their sponsors extract unprecedented amounts of petroleum and gas.

Study Methodology and Findings

The quantitative study is based on a innovative geospatial exercise by researchers who compared information on the known locations of fossil fuel facilities sites with census figures, and records on vital habitats, carbon emissions, and Indigenous peoples' land.

33% of all operational oil, coal, and gas locations coincide with one or more essential habitats such as a marsh, forest, or waterway that is rich in species diversity and important for emission storage or where ecological decline or disaster could lead to habitat destruction.

The true worldwide scale is likely greater due to gaps in the recording of fossil fuel sites and limited census data throughout states.

Natural Inequity and Tribal Populations

The findings show entrenched ecological injustice and bias in exposure to petroleum, gas, and coal mining operations.

Native communities, who account for 5% of the global people, are unfairly subjected to health-reducing oil and gas infrastructure, with 16% facilities situated on Indigenous areas.

"We're experiencing long-term battle fatigue … Our bodies won't survive [this]. We have never been the initiators but we have endured the brunt of all the violence."

The spread of fossil fuels has also been linked with territorial takeovers, heritage destruction, community division, and income reduction, as well as force, online threats, and legal actions, both penal and legal, against local representatives calmly opposing the building of transport lines, mining sites, and additional facilities.

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