Unveiling environmental justice in two US cities through greenspace accessibility and visible greenness exposure

Abstract

Uneven access to greenspaces or visible greenness is an environmental justice (EJ) issue. In this paper, we use a social equity lens to develop geospatial models that measure convenient walking access to urban greenspaces such as parks and street-level green exposure en route to greenspaces. We utilized earth science, geospatial, and demographic datasets to develop two models—Greenspace Accessibility and Visible Greenness Exposure—and applied them in Camden and Jersey City, USA, two communities experiencing environmental injustices. Modeling results show that greenspace accessibility is a concern in both cities, with Jersey City experiencing more prominent disparities. We observed significant positive relationships in Camden between greenspace accessibility and two EJ variables: Black segregation and Hispanic segregation. Most streets in both cities have poor greenness exposure, although Jersey City faces higher inequality compared to Camden. We also observed significant negative relationships in Jersey City between street-level greenness exposure and low-income populations. We conclude the paper by explaining the implications of our findings for greenspace planning and policymaking.