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The Mismatch between Anthropogenic CO 2 Emissions and Their Consequences for Human Zinc and Protein Sufficiency Highlights Important Environmental Justice Issues

Author

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  • Elizabeth R. H. Moore

    (Social and Behavioral Sciences Department, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510, USA)

  • Matthew R. Smith

    (Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA)

  • Debbie Humphries

    (Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510, USA)

  • Robert Dubrow

    (Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510, USA)

  • Samuel S. Myers

    (Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA
    Harvard University Center for the Environment, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA)

Abstract

The impacts of climate change are not equally distributed globally. We examined the global distribution of CO 2 emissions and the ensuing distribution of increases in the risk of zinc and protein deficiency resulting from elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentrations. We estimated cumulative per capita (2011–2050) CO 2 emissions for 146 countries using existing measurement data and by apportioning regional emissions projections. We tested the relationship between cumulative per capita CO 2 emissions and the risk of additional zinc and protein deficiency at the population-level and country-level. At the population-level (i.e., population-weighted), we observed a significant inverse association between CO 2 emissions and the percentage of the population placed at additional risk of zinc ( p -value: <0.001) and protein ( p -value: <0.01) deficiencies. Country-level (i.e., unweighted) analyses produced significant but less strong associations. Populations with lower per capita CO 2 emissions between 2011 and 2050 will experience a disproportionately high nutritional burden, highlighting socioeconomic, geospatial, and intergenerational injustices.

Suggested Citation

  • Elizabeth R. H. Moore & Matthew R. Smith & Debbie Humphries & Robert Dubrow & Samuel S. Myers, 2020. "The Mismatch between Anthropogenic CO 2 Emissions and Their Consequences for Human Zinc and Protein Sufficiency Highlights Important Environmental Justice Issues," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:11:y:2020:i:1:p:4-:d:323851
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:mpr:mprres:2894 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Matthew R. Smith & Samuel S. Myers, 2018. "Impact of anthropogenic CO2 emissions on global human nutrition," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(9), pages 834-839, September.
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