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An environmental justice analysis of air pollution emissions in the United States from 1970 to 2010

Author

Listed:
  • Yanelli Nunez

    (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
    PSE Healthy Energy)

  • Jaime Benavides

    (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health)

  • Jenni A. Shearston

    (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
    University of California Berkeley School of Public Health)

  • Elena M. Krieger

    (PSE Healthy Energy)

  • Misbath Daouda

    (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
    University of California Berkeley School of Public Health)

  • Lucas R. F. Henneman

    (George Mason University)

  • Erin E. McDuffie

    (Washington University in St. Louis)

  • Jeff Goldsmith

    (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health)

  • Joan A. Casey

    (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
    University of Washington)

  • Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou

    (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health)

Abstract

Over the last decades, air pollution emissions have decreased substantially; however, inequities in air pollution persist. We evaluate county-level racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in emissions changes from six air pollution source sectors (industry [SO2], energy [SO2, NOx], agriculture [NH3], commercial [NOx], residential [particulate organic carbon], and on-road transportation [NOx]) in the contiguous United States during the 40 years following the Clean Air Act (CAA) enactment (1970-2010). We calculate relative emission changes and examine the differential changes given county demographics using hierarchical nested models. The results show racial/ethnic disparities, particularly in the industry and energy generation source sectors. We also find that median family income is a driver of variation in relative emissions changes in all sectors—counties with median family income >$75 K vs. less generally experience larger relative declines in industry, energy, transportation, residential, and commercial-related emissions. Emissions from most air pollution source sectors have, on a national level, decreased following the United States CAA. In this work, we show that the relative reductions in emissions varied across racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Yanelli Nunez & Jaime Benavides & Jenni A. Shearston & Elena M. Krieger & Misbath Daouda & Lucas R. F. Henneman & Erin E. McDuffie & Jeff Goldsmith & Joan A. Casey & Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou, 2024. "An environmental justice analysis of air pollution emissions in the United States from 1970 to 2010," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-43492-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43492-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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