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25% of the world's residents dwells within three miles of active oil, gas, and coal sites, possibly endangering the physical condition of more than two billion human beings as well as essential natural habitats, based on first-of-its-kind study.

Worldwide Spread of Fossil Fuel Infrastructure

Over eighteen thousand three hundred oil, gas, and coal locations are currently distributed across over 170 states globally, covering a extensive area of the planet's surface.

Proximity to extraction sites, refineries, conduits, and other fossil fuel operations raises the danger of tumors, breathing ailments, cardiovascular issues, preterm labor, and fatality, while also creating severe threats to water supplies and air quality, and harming terrain.

Close Proximity Risks and Future Expansion

Nearly half a billion residents, encompassing over 120 million minors, presently live less than 0.6 miles of oil and gas sites, while another 3,500 or so upcoming sites are currently proposed or in progress that could force one hundred thirty-five million more people to experience fumes, burning, and spills.

The majority of active operations have established toxic zones, converting nearby populations and vital environments into referred to as sacrifice zones – severely toxic locations where low-income and disadvantaged groups shoulder the unfair load of proximity to toxins.

Physical and Natural Effects

This analysis describes the severe physical consequences from extraction, treatment, and shipping, as well as demonstrating how spills, flares, and building damage unique natural ecosystems and compromise human rights – particularly of those living close to oil, natural gas, and coal mining operations.

It comes as international representatives, not including the US – the greatest past source of greenhouse gases – gather in Belém, the South American nation, for the 30th environmental talks in the context of rising concern at the slow advancement in ending oil, gas, and coal, which are leading to planetary collapse and civil liberties infringements.

"Oil and gas companies and their public supporters have maintained for a long time that economic growth needs fossil fuels. But it is clear that in the name of prosperity, they have rather promoted greed and revenues unchecked, breached rights with widespread impunity, and destroyed the atmosphere, ecosystems, and oceans."

Climate Discussions and Global Pressure

The climate conference occurs as the Philippines, the North American country, and Jamaica are reeling from major hurricanes that were strengthened by warmer air and ocean heat levels, with countries under increasing pressure to take decisive steps to oversee oil and gas corporations and end mining, financial support, licenses, and demand in order to adhere to a historic ruling by the global judicial body.

Recently, disclosures showed how over five thousand three hundred fifty oil and gas sector advocates have been granted admission to the UN environmental negotiations in the recent years, blocking climate action while their sponsors extract record amounts of petroleum and gas.

Research Process and Findings

This data-driven research is based on a innovative location-based exercise by researchers who compared data on the documented positions of oil and gas facilities projects with census information, and records on vital environments, carbon emissions, and Indigenous peoples' areas.

33% of all active oil, coal mining, and natural gas locations intersect with several critical habitats such as a wetland, jungle, or waterway that is rich in biodiversity and important for CO2 absorption or where environmental decline or calamity could lead to habitat destruction.

The real international scale is likely larger due to omissions in the recording of fossil fuel operations and limited demographic data across nations.

Environmental Inequity and Indigenous Communities

The data demonstrate long-standing ecological inequity and bias in proximity to oil, gas, and coal mining sectors.

Indigenous peoples, who account for one in twenty of the international residents, are unequally exposed to dangerous fossil fuel operations, with a sixth facilities situated on native territories.

"We endure intergenerational resistance weariness … Our bodies cannot endure [this]. We were never the initiators but we have borne the force of all the aggression."

The spread of coal, oil, and gas has also been associated with land grabs, cultural pillage, social fragmentation, and economic hardship, as well as violence, digital harassment, and lawsuits, both illegal and non-criminal, against community leaders non-violently opposing the building of conduits, drilling projects, and additional operations.

"We never seek wealth; we just desire {what