Why we fight for climate action, even now

When Congress was considering a $50 billion dollar bailout for airline companies as part of the latest COVID-19 relief package, EDF and others asked a simple question: As we deal with this urgent crisis, can we do it without adding more pollution that hurts American families?

The idea was to ask the airlines, who produce a large and growing amount of climate pollution, to limit their emissions as part of the deal for taxpayer money. It was a way we could’ve moved aggressively to fight COVID-19 and help the economy, while asking the companies — once the immediate emergency was over — to do something for the American public in return.

Trump’s befuddled response

The reaction from President Trump and his allies was mocking, dismissive and familiar.

Trump tweeted that we were asking for “things that have nothing to do” with the current crisis like “Open Borders & Green New Deal.” Senate Leader Mitch McConnell echoed Trump’s claims, adding, “Are you kidding me?”

Never mind that we were pushing for a fast and strong government response to COVID-19, and that the proposal had nothing to do with the policies Trump referenced. He and his allies were sending the not-so-subtle signal that anyone concerned about pollution or climate change didn’t care about the pandemic. Meanwhile, very little was asked of the companies in return for their bailout.

But let’s take the president’s complaint at face value: Why are we still talking about climate change in the midst of this national health emergency?

The climate and COVID-19 connection

The short answer is that we shouldn’t solve the COVID-19 crisis in ways that hurt American families. As we invest in our future, we should make sure that we’re building a safer, healthier and cleaner one — and fulfilling our responsibility to our country and our children.

The world has fallen far behind in the effort to reduce climate pollution. We should have started moving aggressively to clean energy decades ago, but faster progress was blocked by some of the same people mocking the need for action today.

The COVID-19 crisis has shown us a fast-forward version of what happens when you ignore the warnings of scientists. This pandemic is spiraling out of control precisely because some leaders, including President Trump, delayed action. Countries like South Korea, that have substantially slowed the spread of the virus, show what happens when we listen to the advice of scientists instead.

It’s no coincidence that Trump has used the same word, “hoax,” to dismiss both climate change and criticism of his administration’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. Trump’s answer when faced with inconvenient truths is to dismiss them as fake news. He’s had to change his rhetoric on COVID-19, because the damage to lives and our economy appeared so quickly. But he could still get away with ignoring climate change, with its slower moving — though longer lasting — impacts.

We must follow the science to protect human health

That’s why we need to keep fighting for climate solutions even as we join others in addressing the COVID-19 crisis. Without millions of climate activists keeping up the pressure, those in power will continue to ignore the science on climate change, endangering us all.

These crises are not the same. The more immediate one — COVID-19 — deserves our attention right now. If you’ve lost your job and health insurance, climate change is not going to be your first concern. It is all of our responsibility to support people facing such devastating circumstances. But it is the job of our government to consider all the threats we face.

So the question shouldn’t be why we’re still working to solve climate change. We should ask why the White House thinks we can afford to ignore it.

Tell the EPA to follow the science, not attack it. jkornegay April 8, 2020 - 04:30

Why we fight for climate action, even now

When Congress was considering a $50 billion dollar bailout for airline companies as part of the latest COVID-19 relief package, EDF and others asked a simple question: As we deal with this urgent crisis, can we do it without adding more pollution that hurts American families?

The idea was to ask the airlines, who produce a large and growing amount of climate pollution, to limit their emissions as part of the deal for taxpayer money. It was a way we could’ve moved aggressively to fight COVID-19 and help the economy, while asking the companies — once the immediate emergency was over — to do something for the American public in return.

Trump’s befuddled response

The reaction from President Trump and his allies was mocking, dismissive and familiar.

Trump tweeted that we were asking for “things that have nothing to do” with the current crisis like “Open Borders & Green New Deal.” Senate Leader Mitch McConnell echoed Trump’s claims, adding, “Are you kidding me?”

Never mind that we were pushing for a fast and strong government response to COVID-19, and that the proposal had nothing to do with the policies Trump referenced. He and his allies were sending the not-so-subtle signal that anyone concerned about pollution or climate change didn’t care about the pandemic. Meanwhile, very little was asked of the companies in return for their bailout.

But let’s take the president’s complaint at face value: Why are we still talking about climate change in the midst of this national health emergency?

The climate and COVID-19 connection

The short answer is that we shouldn’t solve the COVID-19 crisis in ways that hurt American families. As we invest in our future, we should make sure that we’re building a safer, healthier and cleaner one — and fulfilling our responsibility to our country and our children.

The world has fallen far behind in the effort to reduce climate pollution. We should have started moving aggressively to clean energy decades ago, but faster progress was blocked by some of the same people mocking the need for action today.

The COVID-19 crisis has shown us a fast-forward version of what happens when you ignore the warnings of scientists. This pandemic is spiraling out of control precisely because some leaders, including President Trump, delayed action. Countries like South Korea, that have substantially slowed the spread of the virus, show what happens when we listen to the advice of scientists instead.

It’s no coincidence that Trump has used the same word, “hoax,” to dismiss both climate change and criticism of his administration’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. Trump’s answer when faced with inconvenient truths is to dismiss them as fake news. He’s had to change his rhetoric on COVID-19, because the damage to lives and our economy appeared so quickly. But he could still get away with ignoring climate change, with its slower moving — though longer lasting — impacts.

We must follow the science to protect human health

That’s why we need to keep fighting for climate solutions even as we join others in addressing the COVID-19 crisis. Without millions of climate activists keeping up the pressure, those in power will continue to ignore the science on climate change, endangering us all.

These crises are not the same. The more immediate one — COVID-19 — deserves our attention right now. If you’ve lost your job and health insurance, climate change is not going to be your first concern. It is all of our responsibility to support people facing such devastating circumstances. But it is the job of our government to consider all the threats we face.

So the question shouldn’t be why we’re still working to solve climate change. We should ask why the White House thinks we can afford to ignore it.

Tell the EPA to follow the science, not attack it. jkornegay April 8, 2020 - 04:30

Last year, EDF announced a first-of-its-kind project to measure and map emissions from the Permian Basin — the nation’s most productive oilfield and the primary source of New Mexico’s methane problem. Although the Permian Basin has led the world in oil and gas production, public data on its emissions has been near nonexistent. PermianMAP is […]

Last year, EDF announced a first-of-its-kind project to measure and map emissions from the Permian Basin — the nation’s most productive oilfield and the primary source of New Mexico’s methane problem. Although the Permian Basin has led the world in oil and gas production, public data on its emissions has been near nonexistent. PermianMAP is […]

The post Groundbreaking data is a wake-up call in the Permian, call to action for New Mexico appeared first on Energy Exchange.

Last year, EDF announced a first-of-its-kind project to measure and map emissions from the Permian Basin — the nation’s most productive oilfield and the primary source of New Mexico’s methane problem. Although the Permian Basin has led the world in oil and gas production, public data on its emissions has been near nonexistent. PermianMAP is […]

Last year, EDF announced a first-of-its-kind project to measure and map emissions from the Permian Basin — the nation’s most productive oilfield and the primary source of New Mexico’s methane problem. Although the Permian Basin has led the world in oil and gas production, public data on its emissions has been near nonexistent. PermianMAP is […]

Written by Molly Rauch

As we deal with the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, Trump’s EPA’s is deliberately ignoring the toxic effects from the chemical Tricloroethylene. Prolonged exposure to TCE can lead to liver and kidney cancer, as well as fetal heart defects.

The truth about coronavirus, air pollution and our health

It’s been widely reported that air quality in cities around the world has suddenly improved — but of course, this hasn’t happened in the way anyone would want. A decrease in traffic and commercial and industrial activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a temporary decrease in pollution.

There is a more fundamental connection between air pollution, coronavirus and health, however, and like most things about the virus, this connection is worrisome.

The air pollution and coronavirus connection

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness with complications that include cardiac injury, septic shock, liver dysfunction, acute kidney injury and multi-organ failure. Early analysis indicates that COVID-19 severity and fatalities were dramatically higher among those with heart disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases. The CDC reports that people with serious underlying medical conditions are “at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.”

Long term exposure to air pollution causes many of these diseases and makes respiratory illnesses more dangerous. Globally, air pollution is estimated to be responsible for nearly 40% of lower respiratory tract infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease burden and about 20% of coronary heart disease and diabetes burden. While air quality may have temporarily improved in discrete regions, these health conditions — caused by long term exposure — don’t go away. That is, a few months’ improvement doesn’t make heart disease, diabetes and these other ailments disappear, so the people who have them still face the combination of their conditions and, potentially, COVID-19.

The impact of this dangerous combination will not only hit individuals, but could be an additional burden on our already overloaded healthcare system. Many hospitals are already operating near capacity and facing a spike in demand for equipment like ventilators and masks — supplies which are also needed for those with ongoing heart and lung conditions.

To make matters worse, the United States Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that it would cut back enforcement of environmental protections during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not an equal-opportunity problem

Air pollution, of course, varies greatly from place to place. Low wealth communities and communities of color experience a greater burden from pollution because they’re more likely to be situated near or downwind of refineries, ports, highways and other sources of unhealthy emissions.

These communities also face disproportionate risk from COVID-19 due in part to lack of access to health care and the significant demand to make ends meet, where stay at home, remote working is not an option. The result is a one-two punch of higher risk of infection and fewer resources for care.

Additionally, a new nationwide study shows that U.S. counties that already had high levels of air pollution before the COVID-19 crisis have higher death rates (defined as COVID-19 deaths per total population) — highlighting the importance of continuing to push for reductions in air pollution nationwide during and after the pandemic.

Extreme weather could make the crisis even worse

Finally, there’s the threat of pollution from the upcoming wildfire season adding to the COVID-19 crisis. Scientists have found that changes in weather conditions due to climate change are responsible for much of the increase in wildfires in the U.S. Emissions are now rising in fire-prone areas of the country like the Pacific Northwest due to the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires.

Increased particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfires in the Western U.S. is associated with higher hospital admissions for respiratory problems among the elderly, the same population being disproportionately affected by COVID-19. If we are still dealing with the virus this summer, wildfires could add to the strain on healthcare systems above and beyond the surge due to COVID-19.

Wildfires aren’t the only extreme weather event worsened by climate change that can affect air quality and the COVID-19 crisis. Hurricane and flooding seasons are also upon us, and these events can disrupt critical systems necessary for healthcare and increase the burden on hospitals and their staff.

They can also cause evacuations and displacement of people from their homes — leading to difficulties in social distancing — and even cause increased hazardous air pollutant emissions, chemical leaks and spills that are dangerous for human health. In 2017, for instance, Hurricane Harvey caused 4,000 tons of unpermitted air pollution from 75 industrial sources in the Houston and Port Arthur areas, including toxic benzene from petrochemical plants in Houston.

Time for the Trump Administration to listen to scientists

All of this takes place against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s dismissive attitude toward science. They’ve spent three years weakening air pollution safeguards and repeatedly ignoring scientific warnings on everything from climate change to toxic chemicals to pandemics like this one.

While daunting, the threats we face are solvable, but first we have to restore a respect for science by our leaders. Only following the facts and acting boldly can adequately protect the health of our families.

Tell the EPA that now is not the time to attack science. Act when it matters most

Every day more than 60 people sign up for news and alerts, to find out when their support helps most. Will you join them? (Read our privacy statement.)

Donate to support this work $35 $50 tmoran April 7, 2020 - 10:58

The truth about coronavirus, air pollution and our health

It’s been widely reported that air quality in cities around the world has suddenly improved — but of course, this hasn’t happened in the way anyone would want. A decrease in traffic and commercial and industrial activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a temporary decrease in pollution.

There is a more fundamental connection between air pollution, coronavirus and health, however, and like most things about the virus, this connection is worrisome.

The air pollution and coronavirus connection

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness with complications that include cardiac injury, septic shock, liver dysfunction, acute kidney injury and multi-organ failure. Early analysis indicates that COVID-19 severity and fatalities were dramatically higher among those with heart disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases. The CDC reports that people with serious underlying medical conditions are “at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.”

Long term exposure to air pollution causes many of these diseases and makes respiratory illnesses more dangerous. Globally, air pollution is estimated to be responsible for nearly 40% of lower respiratory tract infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease burden and about 20% of coronary heart disease and diabetes burden. While air quality may have temporarily improved in discrete regions, these health conditions — caused by long term exposure — don’t go away. That is, a few months’ improvement doesn’t make heart disease, diabetes and these other ailments disappear, so the people who have them still face the combination of their conditions and, potentially, COVID-19.

The impact of this dangerous combination will not only hit individuals, but could be an additional burden on our already overloaded healthcare system. Many hospitals are already operating near capacity and facing a spike in demand for equipment like ventilators and masks — supplies which are also needed for those with ongoing heart and lung conditions.

To make matters worse, the United States Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that it would cut back enforcement of environmental protections during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not an equal-opportunity problem

Air pollution, of course, varies greatly from place to place. Low wealth communities and communities of color experience a greater burden from pollution because they’re more likely to be situated near or downwind of refineries, ports, highways and other sources of unhealthy emissions.

These communities also face disproportionate risk from COVID-19 due in part to lack of access to health care and the significant demand to make ends meet, where stay at home, remote working is not an option. The result is a one-two punch of higher risk of infection and fewer resources for care.

Additionally, a new nationwide study shows that U.S. counties that already had high levels of air pollution before the COVID-19 crisis have higher death rates (defined as COVID-19 deaths per total population) — highlighting the importance of continuing to push for reductions in air pollution nationwide during and after the pandemic.

Extreme weather could make the crisis even worse

Finally, there’s the threat of pollution from the upcoming wildfire season adding to the COVID-19 crisis. Scientists have found that changes in weather conditions due to climate change are responsible for much of the increase in wildfires in the U.S. Emissions are now rising in fire-prone areas of the country like the Pacific Northwest due to the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires.

Increased particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfires in the Western U.S. is associated with higher hospital admissions for respiratory problems among the elderly, the same population being disproportionately affected by COVID-19. If we are still dealing with the virus this summer, wildfires could add to the strain on healthcare systems above and beyond the surge due to COVID-19.

Wildfires aren’t the only extreme weather event worsened by climate change that can affect air quality and the COVID-19 crisis. Hurricane and flooding seasons are also upon us, and these events can disrupt critical systems necessary for healthcare and increase the burden on hospitals and their staff.

They can also cause evacuations and displacement of people from their homes — leading to difficulties in social distancing — and even cause increased hazardous air pollutant emissions, chemical leaks and spills that are dangerous for human health. In 2017, for instance, Hurricane Harvey caused 4,000 tons of unpermitted air pollution from 75 industrial sources in the Houston and Port Arthur areas, including toxic benzene from petrochemical plants in Houston.

Time for the Trump Administration to listen to scientists

All of this takes place against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s dismissive attitude toward science. They’ve spent three years weakening air pollution safeguards and repeatedly ignoring scientific warnings on everything from climate change to toxic chemicals to pandemics like this one.

While daunting, the threats we face are solvable, but first we have to restore a respect for science by our leaders. Only following the facts and acting boldly can adequately protect the health of our families.

Tell the EPA that now is not the time to attack science. Act when it matters most

Every day more than 60 people sign up for news and alerts, to find out when their support helps most. Will you join them? (Read our privacy statement.)

Donate to support this work $35 $50 tmoran April 7, 2020 - 10:58

Tom Neltner, J.D., Chemicals Policy Director and Maricel Maffini, Ph.D., Consultant Note to readers: As we all grapple with the grave global health challenge from COVID19, we want to acknowledge the essential services that the professionals at the Food and Drug Administration and in the food production, processing and retail industries provide in continuing to deliver […]

Tom Neltner, J.D., Chemicals Policy Director and Maricel Maffini, Ph.D., Consultant Note to readers: As we all grapple with the grave global health challenge from COVID19, we want to acknowledge the essential services that the professionals at the Food and Drug Administration and in the food production, processing and retail industries provide in continuing to deliver […]

Tom Neltner, J.D., Chemicals Policy Director and Maricel Maffini, Ph.D., Consultant Note to readers: As we all grapple with the grave global health challenge from COVID19, we want to acknowledge the essential services that the professionals at the Food and Drug Administration and in the food production, processing and retail industries provide in continuing to deliver […]

The post Best practices for reducing cadmium in food: New review from FDA scientists first appeared on EDF Health.

VIDEO: New White House Press Secretary Is A Climate Change Denier

Field readings by EDF PermianMAP show emissions far exceed industry commitments; 1.4 million tonnes of wasted gas is enough to supply every home in Houston, Dallas for a year

Written by Alexandra Zissu

“Air pollution really intersects with all of the issues we are grappling with in the world,” says Beth Gardiner, author of "Choked".