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The Clean Air Act, our only regulatory tool to cut carbon emissions and prevent catastrophic climate change, is under attack. To protect our nation's health, we need your help!

Health Threat Evident, U.S. Must Address Global Warming to Protect the Public

April 17, 2009

(Washington, DC)  On Friday, April 17, 2009 the Environmental Protection Agency made an endangerment finding regarding the emission of greenhouse gases that cause global warming.  The finding, a requirement of the Clean Air Act recently upheld by the Supreme Court, makes it clear that greenhouse gas emissions must be regulated in order to control global warming and protect human health.

Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) has made protecting human health from the effects of climate change a top priority.  Dr. Michael McCally, a physician and senior scientist for PSR, noted that “the extreme heat events, spread of disease and worsening air pollution that is expected from global warming will impact everyone.  Today, the EPA has reinforced that finding and made it clear that the U.S. government must act to protect human health.”

PSR is calling on the Congress to pass comprehensive climate change legislation that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions immediately and steadily during the next 40 years to ensure that global warming does not cause catastrophic climate changes.

Dr. McCally is an expert in environmental health issues and testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in 2007 about the public health impacts of climate change.

For the official EPA announcement in the Federal Register, click here

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    The Clean Air Act, our only regulatory tool to cut carbon emissions and prevent catastrophic climate change, is under attack. To protect our nation's health, we need your help!

  • Urgent Vote Coming - Defend the Clean Air Act

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Resources

  • Coal's Assault on Human Health

    Physicians for Social Responsibility has released a groundbreaking medical report, “Coal’s Assault on Human Health,” which takes a new look at the devastating impacts of coal on the human body. Coal combustion releases mercury, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and dozens of other substances known to be hazardous to human health. This report looks at the cumulative harm inflicted by those pollutants on three major body organ systems: the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system, and the nervous system. The report also considers coal’s contribution to global warming, and the health implications of global warming. Read more »

  • Climate Chaos

    Written thoughtfully for a lay audience, this book by PSR Board member Cindy Parker and psychologist and former journalist Steve Shapiro describes in lay terms how climate change will affect our health if it continues unabated. Read more »

  • Cooking the Earth

    "Cooking the Earth," PSR’s handsome new slide show, describes how coal increases global warming and how that warming threatens human health. 40 slides. Read more »

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