Decarbonization through the Substitution of Fossil-Fuel-Powered Devices with Electromagnetic Devices: Exploring Exposure Effects on Public Health and Biodiversity

The heavy reliance on fossil fuels to meet society’s growing needs has made greenhouse gases (GHGs) the primary drivers of climate change and public health problems. Consequently, substituting these energy resources in essential sectors such as transportation, industry, health, and communications is a priority to address these challenges. This substitution strategy involves the use of new, suitable devices, for example, replacing internal combustion engines with electric motors in transport vehicles. These new devices are expected to improve human well-being. However, their operation can generate negative side effects that must be monitored and mitigated. We therefore aim for a substitution strategy that could better safeguard human well-being. A significant portion of these adapted devices utilizes electromagnetic (EM) energy derived from the conversion of clean energy resources. They often produce emissions of unwanted electromagnetic fields (EMFs), particularly when using wireless technologies. This paper proposes a narrative review of selected literature related to the substitution of devices responsible for the greenhouse effect with EM devices where exposure effects are monitored and mitigated. To this end, it aims to study, highlight, analyze, and explore the effects of the corresponding EM radiation on public health and biodiversity. The different topics covered in this article are supported by specific instances from the literature facilitating understanding.