Waste-ing antibiotics: Antimicrobial resistance, environmental pollution and unsettled science in the governance of pharmaceutical manufacturing.

This article investigates how Arabic digital media communicates ecological issues through the case study of Egyptian science-edutainer Ahmed Elghandour’s YouTube program Al-Daheeh . Focusing on the 2024 episode “The Enemy of the Universe” , which addresses plastic pollution. The study combines ecolinguistics, corpus-assisted Positive Discourse Analysis (PDA), and media framing theory to explore how ecological meaning is constructed, circulated, and contested. The dataset comprises the full transcript of the episode (∼4233 words) and a corpus of 13,561 tokens from 1566 YouTube comments. The analysis identifies three dominant semantic frames—technological, economic, and natural—that narrate plastic as both an innovation and a crisis, situate responsibility with corporations and governments, and foreground ecological justice. Pragmatic strategies such as vocatives, personal pronouns, and evaluative adjectives frame science as a shared conversation, redistribute agency, and empower audiences to perceive plastic as human-made and therefore transformable. Collocational patterns further expose corporate negligence and reframe responsibility beyond consumerist narratives. A complementary examination of YouTube comments reveals a polyphonic reception: while some users reproduce Al-Daheeh’s systemic critique, others deflect responsibility onto “humanity in general,” minimize or deny Egypt’s pollution problem, or transform ecological anxiety into humor and memes. The study proposes the concept of dialogic ecology to capture this interactional field, and illustrates it through the producer–audience dynamics surrounding Al-Daheeh’s episode. Dialogic ecology conceptualizes ecological communication in Arabic media not as a unidirectional transfer of knowledge but as a space in which counter-stories of accountability coexist with denial, banalization, and national identity narratives. By situating Al-Daheeh within ecolinguistic and media-framing debates, the article shows how popular Arabic science communication can democratize ecological knowledge while also highlighting the challenges of sustaining constructive environmental narratives in participatory digital spaces. • Examines Arabic YouTube ( Al Daheeh ) as ecolinguistic science communication. • Combines corpus-assisted Positive Discourse Analysis with framing theory. • Identifies technological, economic, and natural frames in plastic discourse. • Shows how vocatives and pronouns empower audiences as civic participants. • Reveals polyphonic reception in YouTube comments: critique, denial, humour.

Environmental Justice in Urban River Restoration Efforts.

Purpose: This study examines how Maqasid al-Sharia serves as an ethical lens to evaluate and compare neoliberal and socialist economic models under climate change, aiming to map the scientific landscape, address structural gaps, and challenge growth-centric assumptions. Design/methodology/approach: The study conducts a hybrid evaluation combining a bibliometric literature mapping approach with an integrated evidence synthesis leveraging the PICOS framework for study selection. Following comprehensive searches across Scopus and Web of Science, 690 initial records were screened through co-occurrence and citation networks, resulting in the final inclusion of one empirical study matching the rigorous PICOS criteria. Qualitative approaches dominate the mapped landscape (82%), while empirical mixed-methods designs are completely absent. Practical implications: The findings reveal a striking empirical scarcity, identifying only one qualitative study—a Maqasid-adjusted scorecard for Indonesia's energy transition. Four major structural gaps are highlighted: a lack of comparative empirical evaluations using a consistent scorecard, missing empirical validation for Maqasid indicators, an underrepresentation of affective and conative justice, and a heavy geographical concentration in a few Muslim-majority countries. Consequently, future research must prioritize mixed-methods designs, comparative case studies, and geographical expansion to Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Eastern Europe. Originality/value: This research offers unique value by presenting a novel classification matrix integrating cognitive, affective, and conative justice components alongside a bibliometrically derived research agenda. It demonstrates that Maqasid al-Sharia provides a holistic, multidimensional, yet severely underutilized framework for assessing intergenerational and ecological justice beyond conventional Western-centric critiques

Carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are combustion pollutants that disproportionately harm communities of color in US cities. While distributive inequalities are established, we have lacked observational constraints on variability in air pollution mixtures and the sources that drive exposure disparities. We present the first application of the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) to describe census tract-scale CO inequalities and population-weighted NO2/CO enhancement ratios (ΔXNO2/ΔXCO) in six major US urbanized areas (UAs). Because CO has a long atmospheric lifetime, we develop an approach to describing CO inequalities using column-averaged dry-air mole fractions normalized by the daily urban variation (XCOnorm). Annual daily mean inequalities in XCOnorm are significant in some UAs, e.g., Los Angeles, Phoenix, New York City, and Chicago, where they are 7-11% for Black, 7-15% for Latino, and 1-11% for Asian residents compared to non-Hispanic/Latino white residents; however, in Houston and Atlanta, inequalities in XCOnorm are near or indistinguishable from zero. We report direct satellite evidence of cumulative exposure burdens as CO and NO2 disparities are correlated across cities (r = 0.89). We compare inequalities on weekdays and weekends and with conditions that differently affect short- and long-lived, primary and secondary species, with evidence suggesting that CO inequalities are influenced not only by gasoline vehicles but also chemical production. TROPOMI ΔXNO2/ΔXCO indicate that combustion mixtures in primarily Black, Latino, and Asian neighborhoods are disproportionately influenced by heavy-duty diesel vehicles (HDDVs), even on weekends. To address exposure disparities, efforts should focus on differences in source composition not just magnitude. Spatial discrepancies between ΔXNO2/ΔXCO and the 2020 National Emissions Inventory (NEI20) suggest the NEI20, at least without downscaling, underpredicts the extent to which Black, Latino, and Asian neighborhoods are affected by high NO2/CO sources, e.g., HDDVs. Such errors in the NEI20 potentially direct attention and resources away from HDDV controls with environmental justice benefits.

The digital era has transformed environmental social movements by reshaping how environmental awareness is fostered, collective action is mobilized, and environmental issues are advocated through social media platforms. This study aims to analyze the development of scientific literature on the transformation of environmental social movements in social media using a bibliometric approach. The dataset consists of 298 Scopus-indexed articles published between 2015 and 2025, selected following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The data were analyzed using the Bibliometrix package through Biblioshiny in R to identify publication trends, the most relevant sources and authors, and the thematic structure of the field. The findings reveal a growing number of publications, indicating increasing scholarly interest in the relationship between social movements, social media, and environmental issues. Co-occurrence analysis shows that the literature is centered on the interconnected themes of social movement, social media, and climate change, supported by topics such as sustainability, environmental justice, citizenship, environmental policy, and collective action. The study demonstrates that the transformation of environmental social movements is reflected in the shift of issues toward climate change and sustainability, the emergence of digital network-based mobilization mechanisms, and the growing orientation of movements toward policy advocacy and environmental governance. These findings highlight the role of social media as a crucial infrastructure for collective identity formation, digital resource mobilization, and broader public participation in contemporary environmental social movements.

Air pollution in high-poverty neighborhoods contributes to disparities in asthma morbidity. Housing mobility programs help families move to better-resourced neighborhoods and improve asthma outcomes. Whether housing mobility-related improvements in asthma morbidity are explained by reductions in air pollution is unknown. Evaluate change in concentrations of fine particulate matter and its components and associated changes in asthma morbidity among a cohort of children with asthma who moved out of high-poverty neighborhoods. Caregiver-reported asthma exacerbations, symptoms, and asthma control test scores were examined among 123 children (age 5-17) with persistent asthma participating in the Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership housing mobility program. Exposures considered are annual average concentrations of PM2.5 and major PM2.5 components (black carbon, organic carbon, ammonium, nitrate, and sulfate). Children moved to neighborhoods with 0.64 μg/m3 [95% CI: 0.50-0.82] lower PM2.5 concentrations, with greatest reductions in black carbon and organic carbon. One standard deviation higher exposure to PM2.5 was associated with a 60% [95% CI: 21%-112%] higher odds of exacerbations and 20% [14%-27%] higher odds of symptom days/2 weeks. Reductions in PM2.5 exposure explained 77% [39% - 100%] and 22% [16%-36%] of moving-related reductions in exacerbations and symptom days, respectively. Some PM components were also associated with asthma exacerbations and symptoms and showed mediating effects. Moving from high-poverty neighborhoods to better-resourced neighborhoods through a housing mobility program is associated with lower air pollution exposure, contributing to moving-related asthma improvements. Housing mobility may be a useful complement to pollution-focused environmental justice interventions.

This article investigates the evolving role of rural women in Moroccan oases, focusing on how environmental change, particularly water scarcity, impacts their position within the social contract. Employing a conceptual framework that combines social contract theory with environmental justice perspectives, the study examines women’s access to protection, provision, participation, and recognition. Field research in the Drâa-Tafilalt region reveals that while women face structural marginalization and vulnerability, they are also active agents of change. The rise of women’s cooperatives, often centred around agricultural products but expanding to empowering developmental activities, demonstrates their capacity for innovation and adaptation. However, water scarcity threatens present achievements. The study highlights the interconnectedness of environmental degradation, gender relations, and state-society dynamics, emphasizing the need for policies that recognize gender-specific needs and contributions in the context of climate change.

ABSTRACT This study investigates the relationship between neighborhood income levels and urban green space provision in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana, through an environmental justice lens. Using a mixed-methods design, it integrates GIS-based spatial analysis with household surveys and interviews of urban planning officials. Satellite imagery enabled mapping and quantification of green spaces via Percent of Urban Green Space (PercUGS) for extent and UGS Patch Density (UGS PD) for fragmentation patterns across neighborhoods. The results show that high-income neighborhoods, particularly Nhyiaeso, have larger and less fragmented green spaces, with a PercUGS value of 75.15%. In contrast, lower-income neighborhoods such as Ayigya and Gyinyase have smaller and more fragmented green spaces, with PercUGS values of 32.25% and 36.98%, respectively. These patterns indicate inequalities in the availability and distribution of green spaces, which are linked to differences in planning control, land management, and enforcement across neighborhoods. The study concludes that urban green space provision in the Kumasi Metropolis is shaped by socio-economic conditions, resulting in environmental inequalities. The findings suggest the need to strengthen planning and governance systems to ensure a more equitable distribution and sustainable management of green spaces.

Air pollution is a leading threat to human health (WHO, 2021) but has been largely overlooked in the study of psychopathology. As the burden of poor mental health grows, a consideration of new contributors to psychopathology is needed to identify novel prevention and intervention approaches. Consequently, collaboration between clinical psychological scientists and experts in atmospheric research, pollution, and built environments holds great potential for advancing knowledge and addressing these threats. The current project brings together a cross-disciplinary team to summarize the state of existing research linking air quality to the development and maintenance of psychopathology. We then identify some traditional challenges to collaboration across our disciplines before identifying promising areas for future research and providing concrete advice to psychological scientists interested in similar collaborations, including recommendations for the measurement and application of outdoor and indoor air quality, ways to strengthen causal inference, and considerations for environmental justice.

ABSTRACT The fashion-industrial complex faces urgent environmental and social crises, yet fashion higher education often lacks concrete tools that translate sustainability discourse into advocacy and behaviour change. This study develops and evaluates Fashion Sustainability Advocacy Kits (FSAKs), a politically informed, fashion-specific educational intervention designed for university settings. Conducted in partnership with a southeastern U.S. university and a fashion advocacy organisation, the project integrates tailored educational resources, activism guides, and policy information into fashion curricula to empower students as change agents. Using a parallel mixed-method design, the study assessed students’ knowledge and advocacy intentions before and after implementation. Results demonstrate significant increases in understanding environmental and social justice issues, along with strengthened intentions to engage in sustainability initiatives and enhanced capacity to critically evaluate industry practices. FSAKs offer a replicable model for embedding politically informed sustainability advocacy within fashion education and advancing critical engagement in higher education.

China's clean air actions have substantially improved air quality and reduced PM2.5-attributable mortality, but their equity impacts across life stages remain unclear. Here, we assessed spatiotemporal changes in PM2.5-attributable mortality among infants and adults in China from 2013 to 2023 using high-resolution PM2.5 data, gridded population data sets, and exposure-response functions from the Global Exposure Mortality Model (GEMM) and previous meta-analysis. Socioeconomic inequality was evaluated using gridded gross domestic product data and quantified by the concentration index (CI), which is a classical metric of socioeconomic inequality and has been applied to assess the health impacts from air pollution exposure. From 2013 to 2023, population-weighted PM2.5 exposure declined substantially in both groups, accompanied by marked reductions in attributable mortality. PM2.5-attributable infant deaths declined from 89.2 thousand (95% uncertainty interval: 36.3-110.8) in 2013 to 14.0 thousand (95% UI: 5.0-20.6) in 2023, representing an 84% reduction, compared with a 39% reduction among adults. Despite these overall improvements, PM2.5-attributable infant deaths were disproportionately concentrated in economically disadvantaged regions, with the concentration index worsening from -0.071 in 2013 to -0.096 in 2023, whereas inequality among adults narrowed toward zero. To reduce environmental inequality, increased focus on reducing air pollution exposure in economically disadvantaged regions is warranted.

ABSTRACT Protected area (PA) expansion remains central to global conservation, yet its social consequences for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) are still poorly understood. This research examines how governance reforms and institutional changes under the Buffer Zone (BZ) framework have reshaped livelihoods and justice outcomes in Langtang National Park (LNP), Nepal. Drawing on Environmental Justice (EJ) as a theoretical lens and the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) as an analytical framework, the research integrates household’s surveys (n = 397), interviews (n = 24), and four focus group discussions across four sites in core proximate BZ and outer BZ areas. The findings reveal a consistent decline in both governance quality and livelihoods following BZ implementation. Qualitative evidence further highlights elite capture and symbolic participation. The study argues for more inclusive and livelihood-sensitive conservation governance that recognizes Indigenous knowledge, resource dependence, and meaningful participation.

Political skepticism and legislative threats like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) currently shake the structures supporting public health. OBBBA seeks to de-professionalize our credentials by reducing federal loan caps from $50,000 to $20,500. It seems the fundamental necessity of our workforce remains undeniable despite these challenges. I address the anxiety of students and early-career professionals by contrasting this hostile political landscape with economic labor realities. I map the educational continuum, noting undergraduate public health degrees surpassed master's degrees in 2020. They now serve a student body that is over 55% people of color. I measure these trends against 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections for five core disciplines: biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy, environmental health, and health promotion. Data indicate strong growth across the sector while governmental wages stagnate and loan forgiveness faces legislative peril. Roles like data scientists and medical services managers are projected to grow by 34% and 23%, respectively. Wage disparity is stark. Epidemiologists earn a median of $130,390 in scientific research compared with just $76,180 in local government. I argue market demand and the World Health Organization's projected global shortfall of 18 million health workers by 2030 validate our expertise. The narrative of de-professionalization likely poses a severe risk to health equity. Our labor is essential, whether we are investigating disease outbreaks or advocating for environmental justice. We must remain resilient and train to become the professionals our communities require to survive.

ABSTRACT Air quality disparities disproportionately affect low-income and historically marginalised communities and remain a key environmental justice concern in urban communities. Prior studies have linked neighbourhood land use, transportation infrastructure, and redlining legacies to unequal exposure to pollution and respiratory outcomes. Yet few integrate both historical and contemporary urban factors to explain current asthma disparities. This study bridges that gap by examining the intersection of asthma prevalence, air quality, and neighbourhood characteristics across 766 census tracts in the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. Using two-stage least squares regression, we instrument diesel particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and toxic air pollutants with built-environment variables such as industrial land share, green space, and road proximity. Results show that industrial land increases, while green space reduces, and pollutant exposure increases. In turn, higher predicted exposure, especially to diesel PM, is associated with elevated asthma prevalence. Tracts with larger shares of Black residents and adults without a high school diploma experience the greatest burdens. By linking structural land use patterns and social inequities to health outcomes, this study advances understanding of urban environmental injustice and offers insights for zoning reform and equitable infrastructure investment.

ABSTRACT Environmental justice (EJ) is frequently conceptualised through the lenses of distributive inequities, recognition, and participation. However, in territories profoundly shaped by extractivism, these frameworks risk overlooking the ontological and value-laden dimensions of daily existence. This article proposes Values-Based Environmental Justice (VBEJ) as a situated operationalisation that complements the macro-diagnostic power of traditional EJ. Drawing on multi-sited ethnography in post-mining Iglesias (Italy) and mining-dependent Vazante (Brazil), I identify two distinct moral-political grammars: an affective-historical regime rooted in nostalgia and a teleological-economic regime centered on expectation. I argue that injustices in extractive contexts are not reducible to maldistribution but are tied to the foreclosure of alternative ways of relating to territory. By reframing EJ through an ontological lens, the article demonstrates how everyday practices and pluriversal alternatives can contest the normalisation of sacrifice zones.

ABSTRACT Illegal factories on farmland represent one of Taiwan’s most persistent environmental governance challenges. This article examines how civic actors Thaubing Footprints confronted this issue through data activism. In 2020, the group used Taiwan’s Presidential Hackathon as an entry point to demand data transparency and to challenge regulatory loopholes on farmland factories. During and after the hackathon, activists integrated datasets from multiple ministries and extended their advocacy into the public sphere to sustain policy pressure. The article conceptualizes this process as data repoliticization. Data repoliticization consists of three mutually reinforcing processes: data reassembly, interpretive contestation, and data arena shifting. Through these processes, civic actors expose inconsistencies across data infrastructures and mobilize them to challenge established practices of environmental governance. This article adopts a document-based qualitative analysis informed by practical experience. Building on this approach, the article analyzes the processes and mechanisms through which civic data activism influences environmental policy. In doing so, it contributes to scholarship on data activism and environmental justice.

The burden of waste: Environmental justice, health risks, and socioeconomic disparities near waste management facilities.

ABSTRACT In Commerce City, Colorado, the Suncor Oil Refinery routinely releases pollutants that disproportionately impact the community surrounding the facility. In the absence of state intervention, women-led organizing has mobilized, calling for justice and accountability. Cultivando, an Indigenous women-led grassroots organization serving Latine and Indigenous migrant communities in Adams County, facilitates activism and advocacy efforts. Drawing on 53 in-depth interviews with community members, this article examines: (1) the roles women play in organizing intersectional EJ activism in communities impacted by the Suncor refinery; (2) how their multi-scalar activism embodies Pellow’s critical EJ pillars; and (3) how this activism advances community care and procedural and restorative justice, while challenging petro-hegemony. We argue that the organizations and systems of community care that women build and sustain facilitate multiscalar, critical EJ action. Cultivando’s strong community presence, commitment to procedural and restorative justice, and role in inspiring sustained women-led activism for EJ exemplifies CEJ and offers a model for other community-based organizations.

Pregnant people and infants are at risk of adverse health effects from climate change. These climate change-related outcomes include stillbirth, prematurity, low birth weight, congenital anomalies, and aberrant neurodevelopment. Pregnant people and infants are disproportionately affected by climate change, and it is crucial for perinatal healthcare providers to be well-informed about these impacts on patients and their families. Understanding climate change and its related health impacts requires extensive education targeting healthcare workers from medical school throughout their training, those in allied health fields, and those in the professional environment, via continuing educational opportunities. This perspective addresses content for a climate curriculum for perinatal professionals, including health effects, environmental and social justice, disaster planning, and strategies for preparing for and mitigating the impacts of worsening climate change. Further, we discuss the recent evolution of policies impacting climate and opportunities for advocacy.