Historical Redlining Is Associated with Disparities in Environmental Quality across California

Environmental Science & Technology Letters, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 11(2), С. 54 - 59

Опубликована: Янв. 19, 2024

Historical policies have been shown to underpin environmental quality. In the 1930s, federal Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) developed most comprehensive archive of neighborhoods that would redlined by local lenders and Federal Housing Administration, often applying racist criteria. Our study explored how redlining is associated with quality across eight California cities. We integrated HOLC’s graded maps [grades A (i.e., “best” “greenlined”), B, C, D “hazardous” “redlined”)] 10 hazards using data from 2018 2021 quantify spatial overlap among hazards. found formerly poorer relative those other HOLC grades via higher pollution, more noise, less vegetation, elevated temperatures. Additionally, we intraurban disparities were consistently worse for hazards, having pollution burdens (77% vs 18% greenlined neighborhoods), noise (72% 18%), vegetation (86% 12%), temperature 20%), than their respective city’s average. findings highlight redlining, a policy abolished in 1968, remains an justice concern shaping Californian urban neighborhoods.

Язык: Английский

---

Air quality, health and equity implications of electrifying heavy-duty vehicles

Nature Sustainability, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 6(12), С. 1643 - 1653

Опубликована: Сен. 5, 2023

Abstract Heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) disproportionately contribute to the creation of air pollutants and emission greenhouse gases—with marginalized populations unequally burdened by impacts each. Shifting non-emitting technologies, such as electric HDVs (eHDVs), is underway; however, associated quality health implications have not been resolved at equity-relevant scales. Here we use a neighbourhood-scale (~1 km) model evaluate pollution, public equity 30% transition predominantly diesel eHDVs over region surrounding North America’s largest freight hub, Chicago, IL. We find decreases in nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 concentrations but ozone (O 3 increases, particularly urban settings. Over our simulation domain NO PM reductions translate ~590 (95% confidence interval (CI) 150–900) ~70 CI 20–110) avoided premature deaths per year, respectively, while O increases add ~50 30–110) year. The pollutant benefits simulated are within communities with higher proportions Black Hispanic/Latino residents, highlighting potential for reduce disproportionate unjust pollution air-pollution attributable burdens historically populations.

Язык: Английский

---

Equity and modeling in sustainability science: Examples and opportunities throughout the process

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 121(13)

Опубликована: Март 18, 2024

Equity is core to sustainability, but current interventions enhance sustainability often fall short in adequately addressing this linkage. Models are important tools for informing action, and their development use present opportunities center equity process outcomes. This Perspective highlights progress integrating into systems modeling science, as well key challenges, tensions, future directions. We a conceptual framework modeling, focused on its distributional, procedural, recognitional dimensions. discuss examples of how modelers engage with these different dimensions throughout the from across range approaches topics, including water resources, energy systems, air quality, conservation. Synthesizing examples, we identify significant advances enhancing procedural by reframing models explore pluralism worldviews knowledge systems; enabling better represent distributional inequity through new computational techniques data sources; investigating dynamics that can drive inequities linking approaches; developing more nuanced metrics assessing also directions, such an increased focus using pathways transform underlying conditions lead move toward desired futures. By looking at diverse fields within argue there valuable mutual learning effectively support sustainable equitable

Язык: Английский

---

Air quality equity in US climate policy

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 120(26)

Опубликована: Июнь 20, 2023

The United States government has indicated a desire to advance environmental justice through climate policy. As fossil fuel combustion produces both conventional pollutants and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mitigation strategies may provide an opportunity address historical inequities in air pollution exposure. To test the impact of policy implementation choices on quality equity, we develop broad range GHG reduction scenarios that are each consistent with US Paris Accord target model resulting changes. Using idealized decision criteria, show least cost income-based emission reductions can exacerbate disparities for communities color. With suite randomized experiments facilitates exploration wider space, largely persist despite declines average exposure, but reducing transportation emissions most potential reduce racial inequities.

Язык: Английский

---

Air Pollution Inequality in the Denver Metroplex and its Relationship to Historical Redlining

Environmental Science & Technology, Год журнала: 2024, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Фев. 21, 2024

Prior studies have shown that people of color (POC) in the United States are exposed to higher levels pollution than non-Hispanic White people. We show city Denver, Colorado, displays similar race- and ethnicity-based air disparities by using a combination high-resolution satellite data, modeling, historical demographic information, areal apportionment techniques. TROPOMI NO2 columns modeled PM2.5 concentrations from 2019 communities subject redlining. calculated compared Spearman coefficients for pollutants race at census tract level every underwent redlining contextualize Denver. find location polluting infrastructure leads populations POC living near point sources, including 40% Hispanic Latino populations. This influences distribution, with annual average surface 6.5 μg m–3 tracts 0–5% 7.5 60–65% Traffic analysis emission inventory data more likely live busy highways. Unequal spatial distribution sources allowed persist despite attempts rectify them. Finally, we identify core causes provide direction remediation.

Язык: Английский

---

The inequity of urban green space availability between urban villages and residential quarters: An empirical study in Shenzhen, China

Journal of Cleaner Production, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 448, С. 141704 - 141704

Опубликована: Март 7, 2024

Язык: Английский

---

Air pollution exposure disparities across age groups in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from 2010 to 2020

Environmental Pollution, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 367, С. 125621 - 125621

Опубликована: Янв. 5, 2025

Язык: Английский

---

All-Cause NO₂-Attributable Mortality Burden and Associated Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the United States

Environmental Science & Technology Letters, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 10(12), С. 1159 - 1164

Опубликована: Ноя. 7, 2023

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a regulated pollutant that associated with numerous health impacts. Recent advances in epidemiology indicate high confidence linking NO2 exposure increased mortality, an association recent studies suggest persists even at concentrations below regulatory thresholds. While large disparities among population subgroups have been reported, U.S. NO2-attributable mortality rates and their remain unquantified. Here we provide the first estimate of all-cause across contiguous (CONUS) census tract-level. We leverage fine-scale, satellite-informed, land use regression model tract-level baseline data to characterize different racial/ethnic subgroups. Across CONUS, ∼170,850 (95% interval: 43,970, 251,330) premature deaths yr-1 variability tracts within individual cities. Additionally, find higher underlying susceptibilities for predominately Black communities lead are ∼47% compared CONUS-wide average rates. Our results highlight substantial burden, particularly marginalized communities, motivate adoption more stringent standards protect public health.

Язык: Английский

---

Spatial Decomposition of Air Pollution Concentrations Highlights Historical Causes for Current Exposure Disparities in the United States

Environmental Science & Technology Letters, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 10(3), С. 280 - 286

Опубликована: Фев. 27, 2023

Racial–ethnic disparities in exposure to air pollution the United States (US) are well documented. Studies on causes of these highlight unequal systems power and longstanding systemic racism─for example, redlining, white flight, racial covenants─which reinforced segregation wealth gaps which concentrated polluting land uses communities color. Our analysis is based empirical estimates ambient concentrations for two important pollutants (NO2 PM2.5). We show that spatially decomposed can be used infer quantify types root local- national-scale disparities. Urban-scale yet reflects less than half overall national Other historical include those led current populations Black, Asian, Hispanic Americans live larger cities; outcomes consistent with, greater economic opportunity large cities, land-takings from non-White farmers, racism homesteading between-state migration. results suggest contemporary US reflect a broad set mechanisms─including racist laws actions include, but also extend beyond, urban-scale aspects─and offer first attempt their relative importance.

Язык: Английский

---

Distributional impacts of fleet-wide change in light duty transportation: mortality risks of PM_2.5 emissions from electric vehicles and Tier 3 conventional vehicles

Environmental Research Letters, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 19(3), С. 034034 - 034034

Опубликована: Фев. 16, 2024

Abstract Light-duty transportation continues to be a significant source of air pollutants that cause premature mortality and greenhouse gases (GHGs) lead climate change. We assess PM 2.5 emissions its health consequences under large-scale shift electric vehicles (EVs) or Tier-3 internal combustion (ICVs) across the United States, focusing on implications by states for fifty most populous metropolitan statistical areas (MSA). find both ICVs EVs reduce 80%–93% compared current light-duty vehicle fleet. The mitigation benefits electrification are larger in West Northeast. As grid decarbonizes further, will yield even higher from reduced pollution GHG than gasoline vehicles. lower damages almost all 50 MSA ICVs. Distributional analysis suggests relying fleet moving would impact people color more White Americans states, levels urbanization, household income, suggesting is suited disparities. also simulate future cleaner assuming power plants nation have highest amount annual SO 2 retired retrofitted with carbon capture storage, finding case, becomes best strategy reducing states.

Язык: Английский

---