1. Canada Wide Coal Phase-out: Climate Change, Air Pollution & Human Health
Kim Perrotta MHSc, Executive Director
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE)
Climate Action Network Conference
Ottawa, Ontario
Oct 24, 2016

2. Climate Change – Threat to Global Health
WHO – Climate Change is the greatest public health threat of the 21st Century (WHO 2016).
Affects so many of the determinants of health
WHO – will produce 250,000 additional premature deaths per year by 2030 from heat stress, diarrhea, malaria and malnutrition (WHO, 2014a).
Already producing 400,000 premature deaths worldwide (DARA, 2012).
References:
World Health Organization (WHO) WHO Director-General Keynote address at the Human Rights Council panel discussion on climate change and the right to health.
DARA and the Climate Vulnerable Forum Climate Vulnerability Monitor 2nd Edition. A Guide to the Cold Calculus of a Hot Planet.
World Health Organization (WHO). 2014a. Quantitative risk assessment of the effects of climate change on selected causes of death, 2030s and 2050s.
PHOTO: 350Africa.org

3. Climate Change & Health Equity
Wealthy countries are heavy emitters
Poor countries are heavy hit
Food & water shortages
Lacking public health infrastructure
Within Canada, low income populations can be harder hit as well
Example, heat waves in urban centres:
Low income may lack air conditioning
May lack greenspace to mitigate heat
May lack access to lakes, pools & greenspace to cool off

4. Climate Change & Chronic Disease Nexus
Second Lancet Health and Climate Change Commission concluded that:
Significant health benefits could be associated with the transition to:
renewable energy
active transportation
sustainable agriculture
energy-efficient buildings
(Watts N et al., 2015)
References:
Day et al., Assessing the missed benefits of countries’ national contributions: Quantifying potential co-benefits. New Climate.
Watts N et al., Healthy and climate change policy responses to protect public health. The Lancet. 386(10006).

5. Coal Plants – Globally - Climate & Air Pollution
Globally, 29% of greenhouse gases (IEA, 2015)
Also a significant source of air pollution
Globally, air pollution million premature deaths/year (WHO, 2014)
Heart disease & strokes
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Lung cancer
Acute lower respiratory infections - children
References
International Energy Agency (IEA) Energy ad Climate Change.
World Health Organization (WHO) Ambient (outdoor) air quality and health. Fact sheet N°313 Updated March
Photo: Thinkstock

6. Closing Ontario Coal Plants
In 1999, coal plants in Ontario produced:
almost one third of the electricity
20% of greenhouse gas emissions
23% of sulphur dioxide emissions
14% of nitrogen oxide emissions
23% of the mercury emissions (OPG, 2002a; OMOE, 2001).
Air Pollution Health benefits - $3 billion per year
References:
Ontario Ministry of the Environment (OMOE) Coal-Fired Electricity Generation in Ontario.
Ontario Power Generation (OPG). 2002). Towards Sustainable Development: 2001 Progress Report.
Photo: Ontario Power Generation

7. Emissions & Air Levels in Ontario – 2005-2014
Significant reduction in Emissions from Coal Plants & in Air levels of PM2.5 - Ontario

8. Air Pollution Health Outcomes -Toronto
Reference:
Toronto Public Health (TPH) Path to Healthier Air: Toronto Air Pollution Burden of Illness Update. Technical Report.

9. Alberta Coal Plants & Climate, Air Pollution & Health
Premature Deaths
(107)
Hospital Admissions
(80)
Emergency Room Visits
(702)
Asthma Symptom Days
(4862)
In 2011, 6 plants emitted:
17% of Greenhouse Gases
33% of sulphur dioxide
10% of Nitrogen oxides
6% of direct Fine Particulate Matter
In 2008, coal plant air pollution produced health impacts valued at $300 million/year
Reference:
Pembina Institute, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Asthma Society of Canada and The Lung Association Alberta and NWT (Pembina) A Costly Diagnosis: Subsidizing coal power with Albertans' health.

10. Coal Plant Phase-out - Alberta
November 2015 – Government announced phase-out by 2030
Collaborated closely over two years
CAPE, Pembina, Lung, Asthma & others
Press releases & Op-eds
Workshops & Conferences
Meetings with Government
Submission to the Leach Commission
Ads in local papers & on transit system

11. Coal Plant Phase-out – Canada Wide
14 plants – 4 provinces
AB & SK & NS & NB
8.5% of Canada’s GHGs
12 of top 25 emitters of Sulphur Dioxide
Top 2 emitters of Mercury
Press for Federal Government to revise Coal Regulations – phase out by 2030
Submission to Federal/Provincial Climate Working Group – 15 Health Organizations
Several op-eds & press releases – regionally & nationally

12. Coal Plant Phase-Out - Globally
Collaborated with international organizations
Prepared a Global Coal Statement from Health Organizations in Canada
Consulted with partners nationally & internationally
Collaborated with international partners
82 organizations from 30 countries signed on
300,000 health professionals
Released before the G7 meeting with op- eds and press releases from countries around the world

13. cape.ca https://twitter.com/CAPE_Doctors kim@cape.ca