1 in 3 Americans Live in Areas With Dangerous Air Pollution
1 in 3 Americans Live in Areas With Dangerous Air Pollution WIRED
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This story originally appeared on Inside Climate News and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration.
Introduction
Within five miles of Kim Gaddy’s home in the South Ward of Newark, New Jersey, lies the nation’s third-busiest shipping port, 13th-busiest airport, and roughly a half-dozen major roadways. All told, transportation experts say, the area where Gaddy and her neighbors live sees an average of roughly 20,000 truck trips each day.
Researchers cite the exhaust produced by all of that road travel as a major reason why asthma rates among Newark residents is about twice the national average.
The Impact of Air Pollution
The South Ward is hardly an outlier. A new report by the American Lung Association shows how polluted air continues to place the health of millions of other Americans in jeopardy.
The lung association’s latest “State of the Air” report—an annual survey of air quality nationwide—found that more than a third of all Americans, or about 131 million people, are living in communities with unhealthy levels of air pollution.
The report also found that from 2020 to 2022 the nation experienced more days with air quality that would be classified by the association as hazardous than at any other time over the past quarter century.
While acknowledging the efficacy of a series of clean-air measures that have been enacted over the past 50 years, officials with the association said that the report also underscored how the warming planet continues to worsen levels of unhealthy air.
Disparities and Solutions
For Gaddy, who is African American, the report’s findings confirm what she and her neighbors in Newark’s predominantly Black South Ward have experienced for years. Gaddy and her three children were all diagnosed with asthma; her eldest child died of a heart attack in 2021 at the age of 32.
The New York/Newark metropolitan area has 1.8 million adults with asthma and 370,000 children with the disease, according to the report.
Researchers are hopeful that a series of new auto emissions standards that were announced last month by the Biden administration might significantly reduce some forms of particle pollution.
Under the newly proposed standard, by 2032, 56 percent of all new vehicles that are sold should be electric; the proposal also calls for increases in plug-in hybrid vehicles or other partially electric cars and more efficient gasoline-powered cars.
Bender said that the association hopes that the EPA will update the national ozone standard, which has not been revised since 2015.
Gaddy said that she’s confident that federal officials will soon act on the recommendations of researchers and other experts to help alleviate the asthma crisis in her city.
“We know that eventually, our communities will be healed and restored to the level that they should be,” added Gaddy. “And that just because of our zip code or the color of our skin, our communities won’t continue to be these sacrifice zones.”
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
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SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
- Indicator: Air quality index and levels of air pollutants such as particulate matter and ozone.
-
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
- Indicator: Air pollution levels in cities, specifically in relation to particulate matter and ozone.
-
SDG 13: Climate Action
- Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
- Indicator: Number of days with hazardous air quality due to climate-related factors such as wildfires.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination. | Air quality index and levels of air pollutants such as particulate matter and ozone. |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. | Air pollution levels in cities, specifically in relation to particulate matter and ozone. |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. | Number of days with hazardous air quality due to climate-related factors such as wildfires. |
Analysis
The article addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to the issues discussed:
1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
The article highlights the impact of air pollution on public health, specifically mentioning asthma rates in Newark being twice the national average. This connects to SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
The article mentions the high levels of air pollution in urban areas, particularly in Newark. This aligns with SDG 11, which focuses on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
The article discusses the role of climate change in exacerbating air pollution, specifically through factors like wildfires. This relates to SDG 13, which aims to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Based on the article’s content, the following targets can be identified:
1. Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
The article highlights the health impacts of air pollution, particularly on respiratory illnesses like asthma. Achieving this target would involve reducing air pollution levels and improving air quality.
2. Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
The article emphasizes the need to address air pollution in urban areas, such as Newark, to improve the environmental impact of cities. This target involves implementing measures to reduce air pollution and improve waste management practices.
3. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
The article discusses the impact of climate change on air pollution, particularly through factors like wildfires. Strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards would involve implementing measures to mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce the occurrence of events like wildfires.
The article mentions or implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:
- Air quality index and levels of air pollutants such as particulate matter and ozone: These indicators can be used to assess the extent of air pollution and its impact on public health.
- Number of days with hazardous air quality due to climate-related factors such as wildfires: This indicator can measure the frequency and severity of climate-related air pollution events.
Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.
Fuente: wired.com
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