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Energy Sector Pollution and Health Promotion

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 1107

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Energy and Sustainability, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Araranguá, Araranguá 88905-120, Brazil
Interests: sustainable development goals; environmental pollution; sustainability; water treatment; energy sector pollution
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Guest Editor
Post-Graduation Program in Health Promotion, Cesumar Institute of Science, Technology and Innovation, Cesumar University—UNICESUMAR, Maringa 87050-900, Brazil
Interests: health promotion; digital health literacy; knowledge–attitude–practice survey; public mental health

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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The energy sector, while fundamental to socioeconomic development, has historically been one of the principal agents of environmental pollution. The combustion of fossil fuels and associated industrial processes, including highly polluting activities in the electricity sector such as coal mining, results in the emission of atmospheric pollutants and the contamination of water resources and soil, which constitute critical environmental determinants of health. Furthermore, this energy matrix is the leading contributor of climate change, exacerbating associated risks through the intensification of environmental disasters, such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves. Such phenomena result in the systematic degradation of quality of life and have adverse effects on population health.

This Special Issue proposes to surpass the mere quantification of impacts (the traditional ecological perspective). In this Special Issue, priority is given to investigations that explore the complex interrelationships between these pollutants, associated climate impacts, and the physical, social, and mental environments, with an emphasis on their repercussions for the health, quality of life, and mental well-being of populations. The focus lies in elucidating how mitigation strategies, regulation, the implementation of public policies, and the energy transition can be articulated as robust tools for health promotion and disease prevention, directly contributing to the 2030 Agenda and its interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

The current global energy transition presents a unique opportunity for realigning energy production with public health objectives. This Special Issue therefore aims to convene transdisciplinary research—integrating environmental sciences, public health, epidemiology, social sciences, economics, and public policy—with the aim of highlighting solutions, interventions, and strategies that demonstrate direct co-benefits for human health.

All submitted articles are expected to demonstrate how their results directly impact health promotion, whether through risk reduction (including those of a climatic nature), the improvement of quality of life, or by informing the formulation of healthier public policies, invariably framing their findings within a pertinent global context.

Prof. Dr. Natália Ueda Yamaguchi
Prof. Dr. Mirian Ueda Yamaguchi
Prof. Dr. Rúbia Carvalho Gomes Corrêa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • health promotion
  • public health
  • energy sector
  • energy transition
  • sustainable development goals
  • climate change
  • environmental pollution
  • environmental determinants of health
  • non-communicable diseases
  • health co-benefits

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 4171 KB  
Article
From Waste to Health: Landfill Biogas Recovery as a Strategy for Greenhouse Gas Mitigation and Public Health Co-Benefits in Brazil
by Estefane Caetano Nazzari, Gredson Keiff Souza, Fernanda Nayara Campos de Almeida, Anderson Rafael Igarashi, Alexandre Diorio, Djeine Cristina Schiavon Maia and Nehemias Curvelo Pereira
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(5), 648; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23050648 (registering DOI) - 13 May 2026
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Abstract
Biogas from municipal solid waste is a promising pathway for renewable energy production while mitigating environmental pollution and public health risks. In this study, biogas emissions from a sanitary landfill in Maringá, southern Brazil, were evaluated using three models (IPCC, LandGEM, and CETESB [...] Read more.
Biogas from municipal solid waste is a promising pathway for renewable energy production while mitigating environmental pollution and public health risks. In this study, biogas emissions from a sanitary landfill in Maringá, southern Brazil, were evaluated using three models (IPCC, LandGEM, and CETESB tool) to estimate methane generation and energy recovery potential. Experimental analysis revealed methane concentrations from 51.10 ± 8.89% to 57.06 ± 1.19% across collection drains, indicating favorable conditions for energy utilization. Methane generation was estimated under different scenarios, reaching up to 1.30 × 104 tonnes of CH4, with peak production projected over 25–26 years depending on the model. Beyond energetic relevance, controlled biogas recovery can substantially reduce methane emissions, a key precursor of tropospheric ozone, and limit hazardous trace gas release, improving air quality and reducing population exposure to harmful pollutants. These findings are particularly relevant in developing countries, where insufficient waste management infrastructure leads to uncontrolled emissions, posing elevated environmental and health risks. This study supports integrating landfill biogas recovery into waste management and climate strategies, contributing to Sustainable Development Goals related to clean energy (SDG 7), climate action (SDG 13), and health (SDG 3), demonstrating it as a scalable solution for sustainable urban development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Sector Pollution and Health Promotion)
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20 pages, 3144 KB  
Article
Urban Stream Degradation, Organic Matter Retention and Implications for Environmental Health in the Central Amazon
by Sthefanie Gomes Paes, Joana D’Arc de Paula, Luis Paulino da Silva, Vanessa Campagnoli Ursolino, Maria Teresa Fernandez Piedade and Aline Lopes
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(4), 418; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23040418 - 26 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Urbanization alters the hydrological and structural functioning of tropical urban streams, influencing organic matter transport and retention processes. This study investigated leaf litter retention dynamics in the Bindá Stream in central Amazonia. A six-month leaf release experiment (100 leaves per 12 trial; 1200 [...] Read more.
Urbanization alters the hydrological and structural functioning of tropical urban streams, influencing organic matter transport and retention processes. This study investigated leaf litter retention dynamics in the Bindá Stream in central Amazonia. A six-month leaf release experiment (100 leaves per 12 trial; 1200 leaves total) was conducted alongside hydrological monitoring and floristic surveys of riparian vegetation (adult and regeneration strata). Leaf retention remained consistently low (<33%) across sampling periods. Generalized linear models indicated that flow velocity and discharge were the primary predictors of retention probability, with higher hydrodynamic intensity significantly reducing in-stream storage. Riparian vegetation exhibited moderate structural complexity (Shannon H′ = 1.80; Structural Complexity Index = 3.80), yet limited channel roughness and physical obstructions constrained retention efficiency. Anthropogenic debris locally increased retention, but represents a structurally altered retention mechanism. Hydrodynamic forcing, rather than precipitation totals alone, governed organic matter transport dynamics. Reduced retention capacity suggests limited buffering of downstream material export under high-flow conditions. Although direct water-quality or epidemiological indicators were not measured, findings align with ecohydrological frameworks linking structural simplification and flow flashiness to diminished ecosystem regulation. These results inform riparian restoration and urban stormwater management strategies aimed at enhancing ecosystem regulation and water-quality buffering in tropical cities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Sector Pollution and Health Promotion)
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