Global Scans · Pollution · Weekly Summary

• [New] As the world transitions to cleaner energy, air quality will improve and pollution will be drastically reduced. The Cool Down
• [New] The Canadian government signaled it plans to eventually lift the controversial cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector, doubling down instead on its industrial carbon pricing system to rein in pollution. Bloomberg
• [New] After the failure of the most recent round of negotiations for the UN treaty to end plastic pollution, the COP will consider a decision urging Parties to ban cigarette filters and other tobacco product waste. ASH > Action on Smoking & Health
• [New] Potato Peels Offer Promising Solution for Water Pollution A study by researchers at Batman University in Turkey has revealed that discarded potato peels could be used as a low-cost, environmentally friendly method to remove heavy metals and industrial dyes from contaminated water. Spud Smart
• [New] The application by Soft Plastic Stewardship Australia to collect and recycle soft plastic packaging, approved yesterday by the ACCC, will not reduce soft plastics or soft plastics pollution. Mirage News
• [New] By 2025, stringent regulations and advanced monitoring systems are in place to mitigate oil spills, noise pollution, and disruption of marine habitats. FreightAmigo
• [New] The Indian Coast Guard will deploy pollution response assets, including ships and aircraft equipped for maritime pollution control, to demonstrate India's operational capabilities. Guidely
• [New] Over 90% of national climate plans in the UNFCCC's 2025 synthesis reportedly include health, and every National Adaptation Plan submitted since 2024 has addressed risks from heat, air pollution and infectious diseases. Edie
• [New] The policy shift follows Thailand's decision to ban feed-corn imports from countries that use crop burning starting in 2026, in an effort to curb cross-border air pollution. ADM Investor Services
• [New] Environmental protections have become particularly critical in Congo's mining sector, which has historically faced challenges with pollution, deforestation, and habitat disruption. Discovery Alert
• [New] Global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel use will reach a record high in 2025 despite countries' pledges to begin lowering their climate pollution. Insurance Journal
• [New] At the current rate, global plastic pollution is estimated to triple by 2040. Phenomenal World
• [New] Announcing a new collective goal today, the accelerator member cities will pledge to save over 450,000 lives from air pollution across their cities by 2040, gaining 5.4 million years of life, and save $840 billion by reducing air pollution to meet their air quality targets. C40 Cities
• [New] The WHO urges the phase-out of fossil fuels, which are major contributors to both climate change and air pollution (a major health hazard). Risk Prevention Mitigation and Management Forum
• [New] The global plastics treaty, a United Nations initiative aiming to reduce plastic pollution worldwide, could commit countries to legally binding limits on virgin plastic production and enforce stronger requirements for reuse and refill systems. The Conversation
• [New] In the UK, air pollution remains the single biggest environmental threat to health. The Conversation
• [New] Pinatubo disrupted the Indian monsoon system, leading to decreased rainfall across South Asia, and caused warming in the stratosphere and depletion of the ozone layer, SAI could cause acid rain and soil pollution. New Atlas
• [New] While plastics pollution threatens every square inch of the planet, it is the oceans that have become ground zero for the fight against disposability. Phenomenal World
• [New] Continuing to warm the planet by wrapping it in a blanket of heat-trapping pollution is disrupting the natural water cycle, leading to longer dry periods and threatening malnutrition, thirst, medical problems, and mass displacement. Yahoo News
• [New] Take air pollution: fine particles are still the biggest environmental health threat in Europe, causing around 300,000 premature deaths every year. Euronews
• [New] The burning of fossil fuels poses cradle-to-grave risks to human health, including an estimated 8.34 million excess deaths worldwide every year from fine particulate and ozone pollution alone. The Equation
• [New] Urban aerosol pollution is evolving rapidly with global change and poses significant risks to public health. Nature
• [New] Plastic pollution already poses significant business risks, with corporate liabilities projected to exceed USD 20 billion by 2030. Sustainable Packaging News

Last updated: 24 November 2025