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A quarter of the world's population dwells inside three miles of functioning oil, gas, and coal sites, potentially risking the physical condition of exceeding 2bn people as well as critical ecosystems, based on first-of-its-kind analysis.

Global Presence of Coal and Gas Infrastructure

More than eighteen thousand three hundred oil, gas, and coal mining sites are presently located across one hundred seventy nations around the world, occupying a large territory of the world's terrain.

Proximity to drilling wells, refineries, pipelines, and further coal and gas facilities raises the risk of tumors, lung diseases, cardiac problems, preterm labor, and fatality, while also posing severe threats to water sources and air quality, and damaging land.

Immediate Vicinity Hazards and Future Development

Almost 463 million people, including 124 million minors, now reside less than 0.6 miles of fossil fuel operations, while a further 3,500 or so new facilities are presently planned or under development that could compel over 130 million further residents to experience emissions, gas flares, and spills.

The majority of functioning operations have established toxic hotspots, converting surrounding communities and critical environments into often termed disposable areas – severely contaminated locations where poor and vulnerable groups bear the unfair burden of contact to contaminants.

Health and Natural Impacts

This analysis describes the severe medical toll from extraction, refining, and movement, as well as showing how seepages, ignitions, and development damage priceless natural ecosystems and undermine individual rights – notably of those residing in proximity to petroleum, natural gas, and coal infrastructure.

This occurs as international representatives, excluding the United States – the greatest historical source of carbon emissions – assemble in Belém, Brazil, for the 30th global climate conference amid growing frustration at the slow advancement in phasing out coal, oil, and gas, which are causing planetary collapse and civil liberties infringements.

"Oil and gas companies and their state sponsors have claimed for a long time that human development depends on oil, gas, and coal. But it is clear that in the name of financial development, they have in fact promoted self-interest and profits without red lines, breached liberties with almost total immunity, and harmed the climate, ecosystems, and seas."

Global Negotiations and International Urgency

The environmental summit takes place as the Philippines, the North American country, and the Caribbean island are reeling from extreme weather events that were worsened by increased atmospheric and sea temperatures, with nations under increasing urgency to take decisive measures to control fossil fuel companies and end mining, subsidies, permits, and demand in order to comply with a historic ruling by the global judicial body.

Recently, reports showed how over 5,350 coal and petroleum advocates have been granted admission to the international climate talks in the last several years, hindering environmental measures while their sponsors pump unprecedented quantities of petroleum and gas.

Research Process and Findings

The statistical analysis is derived from a first-of-its-kind mapping project by researchers who cross-referenced records on the known locations of coal and gas infrastructure projects with demographic figures, and datasets on vital ecosystems, carbon releases, and tribal land.

One-third of all active oil, coal mining, and natural gas sites intersect with multiple critical ecosystems such as a marsh, forest, or aquatic network that is rich in wildlife and important for carbon sequestration or where environmental decline or disaster could lead to ecosystem collapse.

The real worldwide extent is possibly larger due to gaps in the recording of oil and gas operations and restricted population information in countries.

Natural Injustice and Indigenous Communities

The results reveal deep-seated ecological unfairness and racism in proximity to oil, natural gas, and coal industries.

Tribal populations, who represent one in twenty of the international population, are unfairly exposed to life-shortening fossil fuel infrastructure, with 16% sites located on Indigenous territories.

"We endure long-term resistance weariness … We literally will not withstand [this]. We were never the starters but we have borne the impact of all the violence."

The growth of fossil fuels has also been associated with property seizures, traditional loss, population conflict, and loss of livelihoods, as well as aggression, online threats, and legal actions, both penal and non-criminal, against community leaders non-violently challenging the construction of conduits, mining sites, and additional facilities.

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