Jessica King, jessica.king@sierraclub.org
In Dubai: Jonathon Berman, jonathon.berman@sierraclub.org
Dubai, UAE – On the Energy and Industry Day of the United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP28), the Sierra Club urges the Biden Administration to strengthen national air quality standards for soot, a deadly air pollutant released by fossil fuel power plants, and lead the world beyond fossil fuels once and for all.
New research published in Science reveals soot pollution from U.S. coal-fired power plants has caused at least 460,000 deaths in the past two decades, double previous estimates. If finalized by President Biden’s EPA, strong soot standards could prevent up to 4,200 premature deaths and 270,000 lost workdays per year while bringing as much as $43 billion in net health benefits in 2032, when the standards are in full effect.
At COP28 last Friday, the United States took a positive step toward addressing coal plant pollution by announcing it will join the Power Past Coal Alliance, a global collection of countries, cities, regions, and organizations mobilizing to move the world off coal. As a longstanding member of the Power Past Coal Alliance, the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign has secured the retirements and proposed retirements of 375 coal plants in the U.S., and is working to retire the remaining 155 coal plants across the country.
In response, Sierra Club Managing Director Eva Hernandez released the following statement:
“By joining the Power Past Coal Alliance, the U.S. is demonstrating our collective commitment to moving beyond unreliable, inefficient, and deadly coal and coal pollution. The Biden administration is also joining those who have been fighting to move beyond coal for years, including the Sierra Club, a longstanding Power Past Coal Alliance member.
“Coal pollution is responsible for over 460,000 deaths over the last two decades, and the Biden administration has a critical opportunity to demonstrate global leadership and save thousands of lives across America by finalizing strong air quality standards for soot. But we cannot address the symptoms without tackling the cause. To create a livable future for all, the world must address the root of the problem and move beyond coal and all fossil fuels once and for all.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.