Global Scans · Pollution · Weekly Summary

• [New] On the technology side, MIT is testing an AI tool that can predict floods before storms strike, while UC Berkeley is developing a material to trap carbon pollution from factories, which was once thought to be too hot to capture. Yahoo News
• [New] A case in point is the electrification of school buses in the U.S., which is projected to generate $1.6 billion in annual health benefits by reducing pollution in vulnerable communities. Ainvest
• [New] Seagrass has the potential to be one of the world's most effective sponges at soaking up and storing carbon, but we do not yet know how nutrient pollution affects its ability to sequester carbon. ScienceDaily
• [New] PM2.5 pollution remains a major global health risk, causing millions of premature deaths annually. World Meteorological Organization
• [New] The rapid expansion of nickel extraction in the Philippines has sparked concerns over deforestation, water pollution, and the disruption of the local community's livelihood. ASEAN Climate Change and Energy Project (ACCEPT)
• [New] The vehicles standards were projected to reduce planet-warming emissions by more than seven billion tons over the next three decades, and the power plant carbon pollution standards were projected to limit emissions by 1.38 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide through 2047. Scientific American
• [New] IPM increases biodiversity on farms while reducing pollution risks-making it a favorite of sustainable agriculture in 2025. Farmonaut
• [New] With high levels of heat-trapping pollution, future summer high temperatures in U.S. cities would heat up by an average of 3.6 °F by 2060 and 7.9 °F by 2100. LiveNOW from FOX
• Researchers at Caltech and the University of California, Riverside, project that the public health burden of AI-related pollution will exceed that from automobile and steelmaking by the end of the decade. Public Health Communications Collaborative
• A new preprint study driving conversation online estimates that by 2030, excess air pollution caused by artificial intelligence could cause up to 1,300 premature deaths a year in the United States alone. Public Health Communications Collaborative
• Target for 2030: India plans to achieve 100 million tonnes coal gasification by 2030, aiming to diversify coal use and reduce pollution. Ekam IAS Academy
• In less developed regions such as Asia and Africa, air pollution emerged as the third-largest risk factor, calling for better control of it. BioMed Central
• PFAS pollution is widespread across the UK, with over 10,000 'high risk' sites identified and globally significant pollution of water sources. Innovation News Network
• The Trump administration's proposal contradicts a long-standing scientific consensus that climate pollution, mainly from burning fossil fuels like oil and coal, is raising global temperatures and driving more intense storms, floods and wildfires that threaten communities. NPR
• With the ocean covering over 70% of Earth's surface, seaweed could be a true game changer in the fight against plastic pollution. Climate Cosmos
• Back on Earth, the planet continues to suffer from the consequences of unchecked carbon pollution as heatwaves, floods and wildfires threaten increasingly uninsurable communities everywhere. Los Angeles Times
• Cities can get social benefits worth between 4 and 12 times the cost of improving water and sanitation, and cities such as Beijing and Sao Paulo could save up to 10% of GDP by investing in public transit and reducing congestion, road accidents, and dangerous levels of air pollution. World Resources Institute
• If carbon pollution does fall sharply - necessary to stop global heating - it will cost the most in sectors such as aviation, which is limited by physical constraints. The Guardian
• Kelp forests are facing many threats, including ocean warming, overgrazing, and pollution. ScienceDaily
• While banning ozone-destroying gases such as CFCs has helped the ozone layer to recover, when combined with increased air pollution the impact of ozone could warm the planet 40% more than originally thought. ScienceDaily
• Leading scientists from the Planetary Boundaries and Planetary Health communities have proposed a common scientific framework to better understand how Earth System changes like climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution threaten the foundations of human health. Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Last updated: 08 September 2025