Latest news with #cleanAir
CTV News
27-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
The Right to a Healthy Environment: N.B. Green Party pushes forward with Bill 19
New Brunswick's Green Party is bringing forward a big bill this week in the legislature. They hope to secure the right to a healthy environment, including the right to clean air and clean water for all New Brunswickers. Green Party Leader David Coon says the bill aims to not only give New Brunswickers that right, but also the tools needed to uphold it moving forward. 'It would create an environmental commissioner, a new officer of the legislature assembly who you could go to ask to investigate when you think those rights are being violated. Maybe because a policy was established that runs counter to upholding the right to a clean environment or a healthy environment. Maybe because there's been a failure to enforce existing regulations, standards of environmental quality and the environmental commissioner could weigh in on that,' he said. Additionally, Bill-19 would give residents greater access to the courts to defend that right, the chance to request an investigation by the Department of Environment and would ensure better protection for whistle blowers who raise concerns. Coon says it would also put a big emphasis on children. 'It's substantively different in that it mixes human rights law with environmental law,' he said. Right now, Bill-19 is scheduled to move forward with a second reading debate on Thursday afternoon and, while not routine, Coon says Premier Susan Holt will allow her caucus to have a free vote on it. He says the ask this week is for members to vote on whether or not, in principle, they agree with the idea and not the specifics of the law itself. 'We're hoping we can get it to the next phase, specifically the law and amendments committee, to give New Brunswickers, First Nations, greater opportunity to engage on the bill,' he said. NB Lung, an advocacy group that has been in New Brunswick since 1933, has been publicly supporting the bill. 'We want people to know that the health of New Brunswickers and the health of our environment are completely linked and we can't have one without the other,' said President and CEO Melanie Langille. 'For too long health and environment have been siloed and we're trying to bring them together.' To date, NB Lung has released an online petition, plans to have representatives present at the legislature on Thursday, and has found easy, modern-day ways for New Brunswickers to show their support. 'We know that sometimes its very intimidating for people to speak to their MLAs, so we are using a tool online where an individual just has to simply put their name and their postal code and a pre-written letter, you can adjust it if it doesn't suit you, but it will go to your elected officials,' said Langille. 'Air pollution and climate change increase the likelihood of developing lung disease and exacerbate the lung health symptoms for the one in five New Brunswickers that live with lung disease right now, so protecting our environment is very important for those of us that are worried about lung health.' The New Brunswick legislation only has two more weeks in house before summer break, meaning if it receives support to go to the law amendments committee it would likely be in September according to Coon. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Rotorua finally shrugs off polluted air status
For the first time in twenty years, Rotorua residents can wake up and officially breath in clean air. Photo: RNZ/Sally Round For the first time in twenty years, Rotorua residents can wake up and officially breath in clean air. Bay of Plenty Regional Council councillor Lyall Thurston said it had taken a collective effort from the community, councils, government and public health officials for Rotorua to officially shed its 'polluted' air quality status. "It's a major day for Rotorua and New Zealand, in particular in terms of public health," he said. Rotorua has long struggled with poor winter-time air quality, due to smoke from wood burners getting trapped by Rotorua's unique landscape. Smoke contains tiny particles, called particulate matter, and there is a national standard for the amount of particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less (called PM10) which can be in the air. For a time, Rotorua was the city with the worst winter-time air pollution in the country and in 2008 it recorded 37 days when PM10 air pollution exceeded the national standard. To remove the polluted status, Rotorua was required to have no more than one breach of the national standard a year, for five years in a row. In 2020 it recorded its first year with only one day exceeding the standard. The following four years it had no days exceeding the standard, meaning the 'polluted' status can finally be removed. Thurston said there had been a massive education campaign to inform people about the need to clean up the air in Rotorua. "The main issues have been to get people to install compliant wood burners because wood burners are clearly the main culprit that we have been dealing with," he said. Thurston said the regional council had "been more than generous" in helping residents replace dirty heating for a cleaner option. This included the Rotorua Hot Swap Scheme which ran from 2010 - 2021, giving low interest loans or grants to households who replaced their non-compliant burners with cleaner, more efficient heating methods, such as ultra-low emission burners and heat pumps. Thurston said while the milestone marked significant progress to improving the city's air quality, the journey towards cleaner air in Rotorua continued. "I think the battle will always be there, but through compliance and rules and the goodwill of the Rotorua community, we will be breathing clean air going forward for as long as we possibly can," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Fox News
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM: Protecting American jobs
Not too long ago, Republicans and Democrats could find common ground on clean air and water. But we are in a darker time now. We are far from the days when conservative heroes Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan signed the Clean Air Act in 1970 and the Montreal Protocol in 1987, landmark initiatives that put the health of Americans over the interests of polluters. Instead, this week, Senate Republicans are illegally using the Congressional Review Act to undermine California's work to make and keep the air breathable. Eliminating California's clean-air waivers is an attack on decades of work that began in earnest when then-Governor Reagan established the state's Air Resources Board in 1967. California's clean-air standards, which 17 other states have chosen to follow, have pushed American car companies to innovate — and to become globally competitive. Global electric car sales rose by 35% in the first quarter of 2025, primarily driven by the growing affordability of electric models. American companies founded right here in California pioneered electric vehicles, but we risk losing our advantage in the global marketplace. China is now the world's EV manufacturing hub, responsible for more than 70% of global production, with Chinese imports making up three-quarters of the increase in EV sales across all emerging economies outside of China in 2024. Meanwhile, the U.S. has become a net importer of electric cars. Instead of turning that around, Republicans and some leaders in the auto industry are giving up. California has worked with the auto industry on reasonable and cost-effective air-quality standards for over five decades. Until now, they have been good partners. Overturning the standards that drive American manufacturing innovation will destroy the footholds we've made in this market — and will be the death of legacy automakers, thousands of good-paying manufacturing jobs in the United States. Republicans have decided that clean air and good jobs aren't priorities. It's unclear what's important to them, but it's certainly not American workers. In 2021, Ford announced a $5.8 billion battery manufacturing campus in Glendale, Kentucky, that will add close to 5,000 new jobs. In 2023, Toyota said it's investing $8 billion – now totaling nearly $14 billion – in a clean vehicle, battery, and energy storage project in Liberty, North Carolina, that is expected to create 3,000 jobs in a Republican district. These investments happened because clean-car policies succeeded in pushing these companies to stay competitive globally — and to do better for these American communities. What will become of them now? Republicans want to cut off the driving force behind this progress, even if that means stopping investments in their own districts. If we lose this fight, we don't just lose California's leadership on clean cars, we lose the race for the future. California's clean car rule is a critical test case for the U.S. clean vehicle strategy for the 21st century. It's why automakers are finally investing in electric. It's how we're cutting pollution and building a market that reflects our values. And it's how we're protecting this country from the economic tsunami headed our way. If Republicans succeed in gutting our standards, we're clearing the road for China to dominate the global auto market. Last year, Chinese manufacturer BYD Automotive debuted its Seagull model, a luxury EV nicknamed the "Lamborghini mini," for as low as $9,700. It has set an entirely new bar for the EV market and the car market as a whole. If Republicans fold, the streets in Asia, Europe, and Africa will be dominated by affordable Chinese models like this instead of American ones. Republican plans to prevent states from pushing American car companies to do better are a disservice to this country. American car companies will be outmatched. Workers will suffer. Nothing less than the air we breathe and our economy is at stake. As California has shown over and over again, there is a better way — one that leads to clean air, good jobs, and another century of innovation and economic prosperity.
Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
The chemical Maga fears is making us infertile
'Millions of Americans who want clean air, clean water and a healthy nation have concerns about toxins in our environment and pesticides in our food,' Donald Trump said at a rally in Arizona last August. On Thursday, Robert F Kennedy Jr, the health secretary, will preview a report into potential causes of chronic illness in children, including lack of exercise, screen time and pesticides. The report has largely been co-ordinated by Calley Means, a wellness influencer in the Make America Healthy Again (Maha) movement and the brother of Mr Trump's new pick for surgeon general, Dr Casey Means. Announcing Dr Means's nomination, the president touted her as having 'amazing Maha credentials'. The physician-turned-wellness influencer and holistic farming advocate is just one of many in Mr Trump's orbit pushing for the phasing out of glyphosate – the world's most common weed killer and the main ingredient in the pesticide Roundup. Glyphosate has been considered 'probably' a carcinogen by the World Health Organisation since 2015, although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the US says it is not cancer-casing. Dr Means, a key ally of Mr Kennedy's, is also concerned about the chemical's link to infertility and sperm reduction. She wrote in a newsletter last year: 'I want to share how your health (and your family's health) can be transformed by learning about – and reducing – exposure to pesticides. 'Too many people are sick right now, from kids with autism, ADHD and asthma, to middle-aged friends with infertility, gut issues, and anxiety, to older friends with cancer and early dementia. 'Some of the most commonly used pesticides… promote the conversion of testosterone to oestrogen, which can have negative effects in women (like increased breast cancer risk, infertility), men (depletion of testosterone, infertility), and foetuses (birth defects).' Views on glyphosate backed by science Posting to Instagram, the Maha influencer wrote last year: 'Chronic diseases and infertility are largely rooted in the same thing: metabolic dysfunction from cells that are broken due to a toxic industrial world… 'The single most effective strategy that I believe can solve the most pressing human health issues… is restoring sustainable agriculture practices that contribute to biodiverse soil and nutrient-rich food, and moving away from industrial agriculture that uses toxic synthetic pesticides.' Mr Trump, and the wider Maha movement is concerned over an apparent decline in fertility in recent decades. Mr Trump has even referred to himself as the 'fertilisation president'. In a post on her blog, Dr Means claims that, since the 1970s 'cumulatively, we're looking at a 50 [to] 60 per cent decline in total fertility rate, testosterone, and sperm counts'. While several factors can influence these rates, The World Economic Forum estimates there has been a 50 per cent decrease in fertility in the last 70 years. Other studies cite a significant drop in testosterone and sperm count during the same period. Although Dr Means's nomination has faced pushback in recent days, with Trump cheerleader Laura Loomer calling her 'a total crackpot' owing to her inactive medical licence, her views on glyphosate appear to be backed by science. A review published earlier this year in the journal Reproductive Sciences suggested exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) could disrupt female hormones, cause uterine and ovary damage, and increase infertility or miscarriage. The study also connected the conditions of endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome with the chemical. The team of scientists, from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, said: 'These GBH-induced alterations in uterine architecture and morphology may contribute to infertility, early pregnancy loss, and endometrial hyperplasia.' 'Negative impact on reproductive health' Meanwhile, in a separate study of sperm taken from infertile men at Centre de fertilité Pôle Santé Léonard de Vinci in Chambray-lès-Tours, France, last year, more than 55 per cent of samples were found to contain high levels of glyphosate. A link was also found between the chemical and oxidative stress on seminal plasma, which can impair sperm vitality. 'Taken together, our results suggest a negative impact on glyphosate on human reproductive health and possibly on offspring,' wrote the authors of the study, conducted in partnership with the University De Tours and the University De Limoges, and published in the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. People particularly at risk were those who ate non-organic produce, agricultural workers and smokers, the study concluded. 'Glyphosate impacts male reproductive systems' Another health influencer campaigning for the phase-out of glyphosate and adoption of regenerative agriculture is Kelly Ryerson, also known to her 62,500 Instagram followers as The Glyphosate Girl. 'Glyphosate impacts male reproductive systems by disrupting hormonal balance, decreasing sperm quality and quantity and causing testicular damage,' claims Ms Ryerson. 'Glyphosate also disrupts key pregnancy hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, and has been linked to damage to ovarian and uterine structures. Studies also connect glyphosate to alterations in blood vessel formation and embryo implantation. 'With the crash in sperm quantity and rising levels of women unable to get pregnant or stay pregnant through term, it is critical that our regulators fast-track the assessment of the impact of glyphosate on fertility,' she told The Telegraph. And it is not just in the US that concerns over the chemical are growing. 'The effect of glyphosate on humans and animals is indirect,' said Dr Amy Godfrey, a doctor who formerly worked with the NHS. She said that, because the chemical works by inhibiting an enzyme not present in animals and humans, 'we assumed from a biochemical standpoint that it was safe'. After years of seeing the downstream health effects of agriculture and the food system, Dr Godfrey changed careers to drive change in the food system. She is now head of research for The First Thirty, a venture capital firm investing in agriculture and health. 'This perceived safety is one of many gross simplifications we see in the connection between agriculture and human health,' she said, adding that 'the potential impact of glyphosate on our gut microbiome is huge'. As for its effect on human fertility, Dr Godfrey points to animal studies which suggest glyphosate acts as a disruptor to the body's endocrine system, which is responsible for hormone production. 'Rats and mice exposed to glyphosate show increased rates of embryonic resorption, which is a proxy for early miscarriage, altered progesterone levels, dysfunctional implantation [and] structural changes in the ovaries and uterus,' she told The Telegraph. More than 180,000 lawsuits Roundup, which contains glyphosate as an active ingredient was acquired by Bayer, the pharmaceutical company, in 2018. According to Bayer's website, as of Jan 31 2025, 114,000 out of approximately 181,000 glyphosate-related lawsuits 'have been resolved or deemed to be ineligible'. In his past career as a lawyer, Mr Kennedy helped to secure a $289 million payout for a groundskeeper who developed cancer after working with a glyphosate-based weed killer. As concern continues to grow regarding the impact of pesticides on human health, and amid the EPA's failure to restrict or prohibit such chemicals, widely banned by other nations, individual towns and communities are taking matters into their own hands. Some states, like New York, have banned the use of glyphosate on public property, while other cities and counties such as Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami, Austin and Portland have taken action to restrict or ban the substance. However, glyphosate is still the most commonly used herbicide used on soybean, corn and cotton. In the US, about 280 million pounds of glyphosate are applied annually to around 298 million acres of cropland to control broadleaf, sedge, grass and weeds. Bayer has repeatedly insisted that Roundup is safe and has been tested extensively.
