Coal, oil and gas are polluting our climate, and our air The vast majority of human-caused air Using coal, oil or gas to power our cars, pollution - including 85% of particulate power stations, mining operations and pollution and almost all sulphur dioxide factories is also the main source of and nitrogen oxide emissions - is from greenhouse gas emissions - or climate the burning of fossil fuels,. [...] Further, nose and throat, worsening of asthma and the economic cost of all air pollution on the chronic bronchitis and increases in hospital health and wellbeing of Australians based on admissions (NSW Government 2020). [...] 17 AIRBORNE HAZARD: HOW AIR POLLUTION HARMS OUR KIDS THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF AIR POLLUTION ON KIDS Exposure during gestation Exposure during childhood Exposure to air pollution can negatively Children exposed to increased air pollution impact the healthy development of children, face an increased risk of both short- and long- from pre-birth through to early, middle and term health issues. [...] Due to these we can clean up the air and better protect factors, children attending the 27% of schools our children’s health and by implementing and 29% of childcare centres within 100m of strategies to support cleaner forms of a busy road in the City of Maribyrnong are transport. [...] With the health of so many children being harmed by the air they breathe, we can We can cut climate and air pollution further and should be doing so much more to cut by providing more people who live in our harmful air and climate pollution from the cities with more frequent, sustainable and burning of coal, oil and gas.
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Table of Contents
- Key findings 4
- 1. Introduction 6
- 2. Clean air is fundamental to our health and wellbeing 8
- Box 1: Key terms and definitions 9
- 3. Coal, oil and gas are polluting our climate, and our air 10
- Box 2: Sources of Air Pollution 12
- 4. Climate change is a health hazard 13
- Cutting climate pollution will improve air quality 15
- Box 3: The Black Summer Bushfires that blanketed us in smoke 16
- 5. Air pollution is dangerous for our health 17
- 6. Our kids are most vulnerable 21
- Why are children more vulnerable? 21
- The health impacts of air pollution on kids 22
- Exposure during gestation 22
- Exposure during childhood 22
- Box 4: How air pollution is harming our children 23
- How much air pollution is too much? 24
- Even limited exposure can be harmful 24
- There is no ‘safe’ level 24
- 7. Avoidable traffic pollution is making Australian kids sick 25
- Box 5: Exposed: scores of city schools and childcare centres are close to major roads 26
- 8. Cleaning up our transport sector will cut climate and air pollution, with immediate health benefits 30
- 9. Conclusion 32
- References 33
- Appendix: Schools and childcare centre proximity to major roads methodology 38
- Image credits 39
