Report on Air Quality Degradation in the U.S. Midwest due to Canadian Wildfires

Introduction: A Multi-faceted Challenge to Sustainable Development Goals

Smoke originating from Canadian wildfires has caused a significant decline in air quality across the Chicago area and the upper Midwest, including regions in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. This environmental event poses a direct challenge to the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Impact on Public Health and Well-being (SDG 3)

The primary and most immediate impact of the wildfire smoke is on public health, directly undermining the objectives of SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Official Health Advisories and Air Quality Status

• The National Weather Service (NWS) and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have issued air quality alerts, categorizing the air as “unhealthy.”
• In Elgin, the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached an “unhealthy” level with a PM2.5 concentration of 174. Chicago’s air quality was rated “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
• The primary pollutant identified is PM2.5, or fine inhalable particulate matter with diameters of 2.5 micrometers or smaller, which can penetrate deep into the respiratory system.

Recommendations for Health Protection

In line with SDG 3’s target to reduce illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air pollution, authorities have issued the following guidance:

1. Individuals, especially those in sensitive groups (e.g., people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, and teens), should reduce or limit prolonged outdoor activities and heavy exertion.
2. The general public in areas with “unhealthy” AQI levels is advised to shorten time spent outdoors.

Challenges to Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)

The air pollution event highlights the vulnerability of urban centers to transboundary environmental hazards, impacting the goal of SDG 11 to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Urban Air Quality and Livability

• Major metropolitan areas, including Chicago, Rockford, Aurora, and parts of Wisconsin, experienced “unhealthy” air quality, diminishing the environmental quality and livability of these communities.
• Visual evidence, such as hazy skylines in Chicago, demonstrates the pervasive nature of the pollution and its effect on the urban environment.

Promoting Sustainable Urban Practices

To mitigate ancillary pollution sources, the NWS recommended actions that align with the principles of sustainable urban living:

• Utilizing carpooling to reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
• Combining errands into a single trip to minimize vehicle emissions.
• Avoiding vehicle refueling until after 7 p.m. to reduce the formation of ground-level ozone.

Link to Climate Action and Ecosystem Health (SDG 13 & SDG 15)

This regional air quality crisis is intrinsically linked to broader global environmental challenges, emphasizing the interconnectedness of climate, ecosystems, and human societies as outlined in SDG 13 and SDG 15.

Wildfires as a Manifestation of Climate Change

The increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires, such as those burning in Manitoba, are widely recognized as being exacerbated by climate change. This event serves as a critical reminder of the urgent need for robust climate action (SDG 13) to mitigate the root causes of such disasters.

Impact on Terrestrial Ecosystems

The wildfires represent a significant degradation of forest ecosystems (SDG 15: Life on Land). The resulting smoke and air pollution demonstrate how the destruction of terrestrial life directly impacts human health and the sustainability of communities hundreds of miles away.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The article directly addresses public health by detailing the health risks associated with poor air quality. It mentions that “People with respiratory diseases such as asthma should limit prolonged outdoor exposure” and that in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category, “people with heart or lung disease, older adults children and teens are advised to shorten the amount of time spent outdoors.” This connects directly to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The focus of the article is on the impact of air pollution on the Chicago metropolitan area, a major urban center. It discusses the Air Quality Index (AQI) within the city and its suburbs (Elgin, Rockford, DeKalb, etc.), highlighting the environmental challenges faced by urban populations. The recommendation to “carpool” and “combine errands” also touches upon sustainable urban transport.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• The article identifies the source of the air pollution as “smoke from Canadian wildfires.” Large-scale wildfires are increasingly recognized as a climate-related hazard, exacerbated by hotter and drier conditions linked to climate change. The issuance of weather and environmental alerts represents an adaptive measure to a climate-related hazard, connecting to the goal of strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• The root cause of the air quality issue is wildfires, which represent a significant threat to forests and terrestrial ecosystems. The article states that “wildfires in Manitoba continue to burn,” directly referencing the degradation of forests, which is a key concern of SDG 15, aimed at protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and sustainably managing forests.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

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’s entire focus is on the health impact of air pollution from wildfire smoke. The warnings issued by the National Weather Service and the Environmental Protection Agency are direct actions to prevent illnesses caused by exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a form of air pollution.

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 centers on the poor air quality in a major city, Chicago. It details how the city’s air is being monitored (“Air Quality Index”) and the specific pollutant of concern (“PM2.5”), directly aligning with the target’s emphasis on managing urban air quality.

Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

• The wildfires are a natural disaster, and the resulting air pollution is a climate-related hazard. The article describes actions taken to build resilience and adaptive capacity, such as the National Weather Service issuing “alerts for Illinois and Indiana” and the Illinois EPA declaring a “red forecast air pollution action day” to inform and protect the public.

Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.

• The article mentions that the smoke is from “wildfires in Manitoba,” which points to a challenge in sustainable forest management. The occurrence of such large-scale fires is contrary to the goal of protecting forest ecosystems.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicator: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5)

• This is directly mentioned and quantified in the article. It states, “PM2.5, an air pollutant also known as fine particulate matter, is causing much of the haze in the region.” It provides a specific measurement: “the air quality in Elgin ranked as ‘unhealthy’ … with a PM2.5 of 174.” This is a direct measure for Target 11.6 and is also relevant to Target 3.9.

Indicator: Air Quality Index (AQI)

• The article extensively uses the AQI as a tool to communicate air pollution levels to the public. It explains the six-level scale and reports specific readings for Chicago and its suburbs, such as “unhealthy” (level four) and “unhealthy for sensitive groups” (level three). The AQI serves as a composite indicator for monitoring urban air quality.

Indicator: Issuance of public health and weather advisories

• The article notes that the “National Weather Service to issue alerts for Illinois and Indiana” and the Illinois EPA issued a “red forecast air pollution action day.” The frequency and scope of such advisories can be used as a proxy indicator for measuring adaptive capacity and response to climate-related hazards (Target 13.1).

Indicator: Area of forest affected by wildfires

• While not quantified, the article’s premise is the widespread impact of “wildfires in Manitoba.” The extent of these fires is an implied indicator of challenges in sustainable forest management (Target 15.2). Measuring the total area burned by wildfires would be a direct way to track this issue.

4. SDGs, Targets and Indicators Analysis

Source: nbcchicago.com