Global Scans · Pollution · Weekly Summary

• [New] The European Union and the U.S. are both considering scoring crypto assets based on how clean or dirty they are, while the IMF has proposed a carbon tax on crypto miners that could raise $5 billion per year in revenue while cutting carbon pollution up to 110 million tons. The Cool Down
• [New] By 2027, U.S. crypto and AI use could use up to 2% of global electricity and contribute 1% of total pollution. The Cool Down
• [New] Salt Lake City, Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco show elevated risk, while pollution concerns grow in Colorado Springs and Miami. CRE Daily
• [New] Halting the monetization of health impacts from PM2.5 and ozone could facilitate further rollback of air pollution regulations. Gizmodo
• [New] To make matters worse, EPA states in the final rule that it will no longer estimate the economic value of health benefits from reducing NOx and other types of health-harming pollution for Clean Air Act rules going forward. Environmental Defense Fund
• [New] Again, the risks of inaction have become clear - decline in water availability and increase in water pollution could put up to 9% of global GDP at risk. Forbes
• [New] Rising sea levels will flood facilities handling sewage, toxic waste, oil and gas, and other industrial pollutants if heat-trapping pollution continues unchecked. UCLA
• [New] Persistent pollution and greenhouse gas emissions threaten long-term sustainability and resilience of global agriculture. Farmonaut
• [New] Global plastic pollution will surge from 130 million tons annually in 2025 to 280 million tons by 2040. Whalesbook
• [New] The mass of macroplastic that is disposed of via open burning decreases by 85% by 2040 relative to BAU, substantially reducing health impacts of air pollution from the burning of plastic waste. The Pew Charitable Trusts
• [New] As part of efforts to reduce air pollution and align with Vietnam's net-zero target by 2050, both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City set plans to increase the use of bicycles, besides increasing electric vehicles, and restricting gas-powered transportation. Vietcetera
• [New] Traffic pollution at the edge of UK roads could be reduced by 21% if all diesel cars had their exhaust pipes near the center of the road. The Guardian
• [New] Delhi continues to face severe air pollution, with officials warning that air quality is likely to remain in the poor category for nearly a week. Moneycontrol
• [New] There has been criticism of a lack of forward travel on cutting emissions from transport, one of the biggest sources of pollution, with the goal to cut car use by 20% by 2030 dropped. Stop Climate Chaos Scotland
• [New] Conservation groups like the National Parks Conservation Association warn that over-tourism can disturb wildlife, degrade vegetation, and contribute to pollution. Yahoo Life
• [New] Under the updated Baltic Sea Action Plan adopted in 2021, the nine coastal countries have committed to implementing concrete measures by 2030 to reduce pollution, improve water quality and strengthen ecosystem resilience. Caliber.az
• [New] By 2030, AI growth in the United States could be responsible for up to 44 million metric tons of atmospheric pollution - equal to Norway's annual carbon emissions. The Cool Down
• [New] Turkey enacted a law aimed at achieving net-zero pollution by 2053. The Cool Down
• [New] Around the world, wildfires and prescribed burns could emit substantially more gases, including ones that contribute to air pollution, than previously thought. Technology Networks
• [New] A tangible example: India sees opportunity in EVs not just to cut oil import bills and pollution but to create an auto-tech manufacturing base; government offers incentives for both EV production and battery R&D (e.g. the National Battery Mission). GeoIntelligence

Last updated: 19 January 2026