Environmental Justice Implications Research Articles

Water Governance in the Wake of Disasters: Implications for Resilience, Security, and Environmental Justice

Water Governance in the Wake of Disasters: Implications for Resilience, Security, and Environmental Justice

From Mining to E-waste: The Environmental and Climate Justice Implications of the Electronics Hardware Life Cycle

From Mining to E-waste: The Environmental and Climate Justice Implications of the Electronics Hardware Life Cycle

Identifying disproportionate impacts in Arkansas: New considerations for environmental justice mapping and implications for leaders

In 2021, Charles Lee defined disproportionate environmental and public health impacts and offered an approach for environmental justice (EJ) leaders to identify disproportionate impacts. However, Lee's model has not yet been compared to current mapping models, nor has it been applied to the highly disadvantaged landscape of Arkansas. In this study, we extend Lee's model and offer a complementary theory of disadvantage to identify, characterize, and describe disproportionate impacts in Arkansas. We ask: What communities are most disproportionately impacted? What is the spatial distribution of risk to environmental burdens and population vulnerabilities? How do these burdens and vulnerabilities cluster together? How might the theory of disadvantage assist in disproportionate impacts research? We deploy a descriptive, mixed-methods design using data from national mapping tools. Findings reveal regions of Arkansas that are disproportionately impacted. However, no region is devoid of high risk. Minority populations are the most impacted groups, and populations living in disproportionately impacted communities tend to suffer from specific burdens and vulnerabilities that erode well-being. The theory of disadvantage is found to be useful for disproportionate impacts research. These results offer EJ leaders a new lens to view and design mapping tools and they clarify intervention points.

Assessing the environmental justice implications of decarbonizing the US electric grid: estimating changes in asthma exacerbation by race and income

Abstract This paper examines how air quality improvements due to the 100% decarbonization of the US power sector in 2040 can reduce asthma exacerbation among children disaggregated by poverty status, race, and geography. Using spatial datasets that differentiate asthma prevalence by income, race, and state, we find that children living in households with income below the poverty line receive a disproportionate share of the benefits. To obtain these results, we employ several different federally administered datasets: American Community Survey, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), and Poverty Thresholds as provided by the US Census. We find that Black children and poor children, on average, have higher reductions in exposure to PM2.5. Nationally, close to 235 372 asthma exacerbation cases will be averted in 2040 under the decarbonization policy compared with Business-as-Usual. States with significant gains in asthma cases averted per 100 000 are Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. Furthermore, since the asthma portion of the BRFSS is not conducted in South Carolina, Colorado, Arkansas, and South Dakota, these states were omitted from the analysis. Across all states with significant gains, children living below the poverty line have larger health benefits than children above the poverty line. Households with child poverty have 50% larger reductions in asthma exacerbations than households without childhood poverty. Black children below the poverty line experience 33% higher health gains compared to Black children per 100 000 above the poverty line, 50% higher health gains compared to White children below the poverty line, and 159% higher than White children above the poverty line. We also provide general methodological insights for quantifying the environmental justice impacts of regulatory policies. We demonstrate why using race and poverty status-based prevalence rates is critical for understanding the distribution of health improvements and evaluating whether policies contribute to environmental justice goals.

Proximity of public K-12 schools to oil and gas development in the U.S.: Implications for environmental justice and children’s health

Proximity of public K-12 schools to oil and gas development in the U.S.: Implications for environmental justice and children’s health

Toxic Tides: Environmental Justice Implications of Sea Level Rise and Flooding of Hazardous Sites in the United States

Toxic Tides: Environmental Justice Implications of Sea Level Rise and Flooding of Hazardous Sites in the United States

Lithium and water: Hydrosocial impacts across the life cycle of energy storage

AbstractAs a key ingredient of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), lithium plays a significant role in climate change mitigation, but lithium has considerable impacts on water and society across its life cycle. Upstream extraction methods—including open‐pit mining, brine evaporation, and novel direct lithium extraction (DLE)—and downstream processes present different impacts on both the quantity and quality of water resources, leading to water depletion and contamination. Regarding upstream extraction, it is critical for a comprehensive assessment of lithium's life cycle to include cumulative impacts related not only to freshwater, but also mineralized or saline groundwater, also known as brine. Legal frameworks have obscured social and ecological impacts by treating brine as a mineral rather than water in regulation of lithium extraction through brine evaporation. Analysis of cumulative impacts across the lifespan of lithium reveals not only water impacts in conventional open‐pit mining and brine evaporation, but also significant freshwater needs for DLE technologies, as well as burdens on fenceline communities related to wastewater in processing, chemical contaminants in battery manufacturing, water use for cooling in energy storage, and water quality hazards in recycling. Water analysis in lithium life cycle assessments (LCAs) tends to exclude brine and lack hydrosocial context on the environmental justice implications of water use by life cycle stage. New research directions might benefit from taking a more community‐engaged and cradle‐to‐cradle approach to lithium LCAs, including regionalized impact analysis of freshwater use in DLE, as well as wastewater pollution, cooling water, and recycling hazards from downstream processes.This article is categorized under: Human Water > Human Water Human Water > Water Governance Human Water > Water as Imagined and Represented Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change

Disavowing the Doctrine of Discovery: Indigenous Healing, Decolonization, and Implications for Environmental Justice in the Pacific Remote Islands Area

Disavowing the Doctrine of Discovery: Indigenous Healing, Decolonization, and Implications for Environmental Justice in the Pacific Remote Islands Area

Addressing environmental justice in clean energy policy: Comparative case studies from the United States and Nigeria

This paper explores the intersection of environmental justice and clean energy policy through a comparative analysis of case studies from the United States and Nigeria. Environmental justice, defined as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental decisions, is increasingly recognized as a critical aspect of transitioning to clean energy systems. By examining clean energy policies and initiatives in both countries, this study aims to identify successes, challenges, and lessons learned in addressing environmental justice considerations. In the United States, the analysis focuses on federal and state-level clean energy policies, assessing their impact on marginalized communities and efforts to promote equity in access to clean energy resources. Similarly, in Nigeria, attention is given to government-led clean energy initiatives and their implications for environmental justice, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Through a comparative lens, this paper highlight’s common themes and divergent approaches to addressing environmental justice in clean energy policy between the two countries. It identifies opportunities for cross-country collaboration and knowledge sharing to advance equitable and sustainable energy transitions globally. The findings underscore the importance of integrating environmental justice principles into clean energy policy development and implementation, with recommendations provided for policymakers and stakeholders to promote inclusivity, fairness, and community engagement in shaping the future of clean energy.

Urban Green-Space: Environmental Justice & Green Gentrification

In cities across the world, both in the global South and North, the distribution of urban green spaces exhibits stark inequalities. Affluent neighborhoods are often graced with abundant, well-maintained parks and green areas, offering residents a higher quality of life and environmental benefits. In contrast, communities with lower incomes and minority populations frequently face a scarcity of such spaces, and the green areas they do have tend to be of lower quality. This disparity not only reflects broader social and economic inequities but also has significant implications for public health, environmental justice, and social cohesion. Efforts to rectify this imbalance, while well-intentioned, can inadvertently lead to gentrification. Improving green spaces in underserved neighborhoods often makes these areas more attractive to higher-income groups, driving up property values and living costs. This process can displace long-term, lower-income residents, ironically exacerbating the very inequalities such initiatives aim to address. The resulting gentrification can also lead to increased homelessness among the most vulnerable populations. Thus, urban planners and policymakers face a complex, paradoxical challenge: how to equitably enhance urban greenery without contributing to gentrification and the further marginalization of low-income communities. This dilemma underscores the need for inclusive, carefully considered strategies in urban environmental planning that prioritize the needs and voices of all residents, especially those in historically marginalized communities.

Using Local Indicators of Spatial Association to Analyze the Environmental Justice Implications of Ambient Air Pollution in the United States

Using Local Indicators of Spatial Association to Analyze the Environmental Justice Implications of Ambient Air Pollution in the United States

Environmental justice implications of flood risk in the contiguous United States – a spatiotemporal assessment of flood exposure change from 2001 to 2019

ABSTRACT Flood hazard is one of America’s most frequent and expensive natural hazards and causes enormous economic losses in the United States every year. Flood hazards disproportionately affect marginalized and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. This disproportionate flood exposure constitutes a form of environmental injustice. Few studies have undertaken a large-scale assessment of the long-term change of flood exposure. To fill this gap, this study utilized land use and flood zone data from 2001 to 2019 at a 5-year interval to analyze spatiotemporal changes in flood exposure in the Contiguous United States (CONUS). Two indices, the Deviational Exposure Index and Socioeconomic Disparity Index, were introduced to measure flood exposure and the socioeconomic disparities associated with flood exposure. At the national level, the overall flood exposure in the CONUS decreased in the past two decades, indicating increasing awareness of flood risk in the country. But the local variations of flood exposure and its changing trends vary among communities. In general, coastal and riverine counties show a general avoidance of developing urban areas in flood zones, while inland counties show an opposite tendency of urban development in floodplains. The results of this study reveal socioeconomic and demographic disparities between communities in and out of flood zones and evaluate environmental injustice among disadvantaged populations. The knowledge learned from this study can not only help address environmental justice issues but also benefit the decision-making of the federal government and local authorities in urban development and smart growth when faced with flood risk.

Examining Climate Justice in Urban Public Space Adaptation: A Thematic Synthesis of the Literature

Evaluating processes and outcomes of climate change adaptation enables learning to facilitate climate-resilient pathways and prevent potentially unjust outcomes. This study focuses on adaptation interventions in the public space whose design and management have implications for environmental, social, cultural, and climate justice. There is a mismatch between the language and scale of scientific research and the site-level operational character of these interventions. This makes it difficult to bridge theory and practice and assess climate justice in public space adaptation interventions. To bridge this gap, we develop a qualitative systematic review and analysis of current scientific literature proposing climate justice evaluation parameters applicable to public space adaptation interventions and explore possible avenues for developing more effective assessment frameworks. Results show five key themes critical to assess climate justice in adaptation interventions in public space: project impact distribution, project governance and knowledge inclusion, project communication and transparency, space perception and use, and recognition and repair of structural drivers of vulnerability. Each theme raises challenges, opportunities, and potential avenues to address the assessment of public space design in terms of climate justice. Our results are key for scientists, urban practitioners, and policymakers interested in understanding how evaluating climate justice in public space adaptation interventions can help identify potential failures, provide ways to learn from experience, and facilitate urban climate-resilient pathways.

Environmental Justice and Resource Extraction: Analyzing the Social Dynamics of Mining Projects

Environmental justice issues are increasingly prevalent in resource extraction industries, particularly in the context of mining projects. This study aims to investigate the social dynamics surrounding mining activities and their implications for environmental justice. Using a qualitative approach, including literature review and library research, this research explores the multifaceted aspects of environmental justice in the context of mining projects. The primary objective is to identify the underlying social factors that contribute to environmental injustices in resource extraction activities. The study examines various dimensions of environmental justice, including access to information, public participation, and distributive fairness. Furthermore, it investigates the differential impacts of mining projects on vulnerable and marginalized communities, as well as the challenges they face in seeking redress and equitable treatment. By analyzing case studies and scholarly literature, this research provides insights into the complex social dynamics shaping environmental justice outcomes in resource extraction contexts. The findings highlight the importance of effective governance mechanisms, regulatory frameworks, and community engagement processes in addressing environmental justice concerns and promoting sustainable resource management practices. Moreover, the study underscores the need for interdisciplinary approaches and collaboration among stakeholders to ensure equitable outcomes and mitigate the adverse social and environmental impacts of mining activities.

Assessing the 2023 Canadian wildfire smoke impact in Northeastern US: Air quality, exposure and environmental justice

The Canadian wildfires in June 2023 significantly impacted the northeastern United States, particularly in terms of worsened air pollution and environmental justice concerns. While advancements have been made in low-cost sensor deployments and satellite observations of atmospheric composition, integrating dynamic human mobility with wildfire PM2.5 exposure to fully understand the environmental justice implications remains underinvestigated. This study aims to enhance the accuracy of estimating ground-level fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations by fusing chemical transport model outputs with empirical observations, estimating exposures using human mobility data, and evaluating the impact of environmental justice. Employing a novel data fusion technique, the study combines the Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) outputs and surface PM2.5 measurements, providing a more accurate estimation of PM2.5 distribution. The study addresses the gap in traditional exposure assessments by incorporating human mobility data and further investigates the spatial correlation of PM2.5 levels with various environmental and demographic factors from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool (EJScreen). Results reveal that despite reduced mobility during high PM2.5 levels from wildfire smoke, exposure for both residents and individuals on the move remains high. Regions already burdened with high environmental pollution levels face amplified PM2.5 effects from wildfire smoke. Furthermore, we observed mixed correlations between PM2.5 concentrations and various demographic and socioeconomic factors, indicating complex exposure patterns across communities. Urban areas, in particular, experience persistent high exposure, while significant correlations in rural areas with EJScreen factors highlight the unique vulnerabilities of these populations to smoke exposure. These results advocate for a comprehensive approach to environmental health that leverages advanced models, integrates human mobility data, and addresses socio-demographic disparities, contributing to the development of equitable strategies against the growing threat of wildfires.

Evaluating the relationship between socioeconomic disparity and potential PFAS contamination in the United States with machine learning: Implications for public health and environmental justice

Evaluating the relationship between socioeconomic disparity and potential PFAS contamination in the United States with machine learning: Implications for public health and environmental justice

California’s zero-emission vehicle adoption brings air quality benefits yet equity gaps persist

Zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption is a key climate mitigation tool, but its environmental justice implications remain unclear. Here, we quantify ZEV adoption at the census tract level in California from 2015 to 2020 and project it to 2035 when all new passenger vehicles sold are expected to be ZEVs. We then apply an integrated traffic model together with a dispersion model to simulate air quality changes near roads in the Greater Los Angeles. We found that per capita ZEV ownership in non-disadvantaged communities (non-DACs) as defined by the state of California is 3.8 times of that in DACs. Racial and ethnic minorities owned fewer ZEVs regardless of DAC designation. While DAC residents receive 40% more pollutant reduction than non-DACs due to intercommunity ZEV trips in 2020, they remain disproportionately exposed to higher levels of traffic-related air pollution. With more ZEVs in 2035, the exposure disparity narrows. However, to further reduce disparities, the focus must include trucks, emphasizing the need for targeted ZEV policies that address persistent pollution burdens among DAC and racial and ethnic minority residents.

Relevance of ecosystem services and disservices from green infrastructure perceived by the inhabitants of two Portuguese cities dealing with climate change: implications for environmental and intersectional justice

Green infrastructure provides ecosystem services (ESs) and disservices (EDSs), although EDSs are understudied. By considering both, this study contributes to the literature. The inhabitants’ perception of the importance of ESs/EDSs is assessed through a survey in two Portuguese cities facing extreme climatic events. “Heat reduction” and “contact with nature” are the most perceived ESs while “risk of fire” and “excessive water consumption” are the most perceived EDSs, respectively, in Elvas and Faro. Using rank-ordered logistic regression models, this study finds that the relevance of ESs/EDSs is perceived differently throughout the different areas of the cities, with Elvas revealing the highest signs of environmental injustice, since the importance of ESs is perceived differently by the inhabitants, specifically those inhabiting impoverished areas. The inhabitants perceiving heatwaves acknowledge less relevance to some ESs and more relevance to several EDSs. Gender, age, and income affect the perceived relevance of some ESs/EDSs, signalling intersectional injustice.

A social constructivist understanding of culture for environmental justice and policy


 
 
 In addressing the environmental threats to cultural resources, some environmental ethicists have taken for granted the idea that culture has an essential character of change that is to be welcomed. In this article, I show that there are pressing moral issues, in this age of environmental crisis, that lurk behind the idea that culture has an essential nature of change. One question that I address is whether, if change is always a pervasive part of culture, we should be morally neutral about changes to cultural values and resources, especially when such change is harmful and external forces are responsible. To address this question, I adopt a social constructivist understanding of culture to show why concerns for loss of culture in the event of environmental crisis that is qualified as cultural change is normatively flawed. I argue that this perspective on culture, yet to be considered in environmental justice literature, prescribes not being neutral about cultural change in addressing environmental issues that affect cultural resources. I demonstrate that seeing culture in this new light has revealing implications for environmental justice. I conclude that failure to integrate this idea of environmental justice runs the risk of dismissing what is harmful to some cultural groups under the guise of ‘normal’ cultural change.
 
 

Ecommerce and environmental justice in metro Seattle

Urban distribution centers (UDCs) are opening at unprecedented rates to meet rising home delivery demand. The trend has raised concerns over the equity and environmental justice implications of ecommerce's negative externalities. However, little research exists connecting UDC location to the concentration of urban freight-derived air pollution among marginalized populations. Using spatial data of Amazon UDCs in metropolitan Seattle, this study quantifies the socio-spatial distribution of home delivery-related commercial vehicle kilometers traveled (VKT), corresponding air pollution, and explanatory factors. Results reveal that racial and income factors are relevant to criteria air pollutant exposure caused by home deliveries, due to tracts with majority people of color being closer in proximity to UDCs and highways. Tracts with majority people of color face the highest median concentration of delivery vehicle activity and emissions despite ordering less packages than white populations. While both cargo van and heavy-duty truck emissions disproportionately affect people of color, the socio-spatial distribution of truck emissions shows higher sensitivity to fluctuations in utilization. Prioritizing environmental mitigation of freight activity further up the urban distribution chain in proximity to UDCs, therefore, would have an outsized impact in minimizing disparities in ecommerce's negative externalities.