Report on Environmental Health Disparities in West Dallas in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction

A recent case study, the West Dallas Environmental Health Project, published in Frontiers in Public Health, documents significant environmental health disparities in a historically marginalized community. This report analyzes the study’s findings through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting critical challenges to achieving good health, equality, and sustainable urban living. The collaborative, community-based nature of the project itself serves as a model for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

2.0 Health Impacts and Contradiction to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

The study provides compelling data on the adverse health outcomes experienced by West Dallas residents, which directly undermines the objectives of SDG 3. The primary health concerns identified are closely linked to prolonged exposure to air pollution.

• Pervasive Respiratory Illness: The research confirms a high prevalence of respiratory conditions, including asthma, within the community.
• Community Health Concerns: Data gathered from residents reflects widespread concern over the negative health effects of their environment.
• Failure to Ensure Well-being: These conditions demonstrate a failure to protect the health and well-being of all citizens, a core tenet of SDG 3.

3.0 Environmental Injustice and a Challenge to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

The situation in West Dallas is a clear example of environmental injustice, where a community of color bears a disproportionate burden of pollution, directly opposing the aims of SDG 10 to reduce inequality.

Historical and ongoing factors contribute to this disparity:

1. Discriminatory Zoning: Decades of discriminatory zoning and land-use practices have concentrated industrial facilities and heavy freight traffic in close proximity to residential areas like the Singleton Corridor.
2. Legacy of Pollution: The community has endured long-term exposure from sources such as the former RSR lead smelter.
3. Concentration of Polluters: The continued operation of numerous concrete batch plants and exposure to freight traffic perpetuates the disproportionate pollution burden on this community.

4.0 Urban Development and Implications for SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

The case of West Dallas illustrates a critical failure in achieving the targets of SDG 11, which calls for making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

• Unsafe Environments: The high levels of air pollution create an unsafe and unhealthy living environment for residents.
• Non-Inclusive Development: The concentration of industry in this area at the expense of residents’ health demonstrates a non-inclusive approach to urban planning.
• Air Quality Targets: The situation is in direct conflict with Target 11.6, which aims to reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, with special attention to air quality.

5.0 A Model for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

While the findings are concerning, the project’s methodology exemplifies the collaborative approach championed by SDG 17. The partnership between academic researchers and local community activists proved to be a powerful driver for change.

• Community-Based Participatory Research: This approach ensures that research is relevant, addresses genuine community concerns, and empowers residents.
• Data for Advocacy: The collaboration generated robust data that validates residents’ lived experiences and provides a foundation for evidence-based advocacy and policy change.
• Driving Meaningful Change: The project demonstrates that multi-stakeholder partnerships are essential for addressing complex issues of environmental justice and achieving sustainable development at the local level.

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

   The article highlights issues that are directly connected to several Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on the intersection of health, environment, and social equity.

   • SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

     This goal is central to the article, which explicitly discusses the negative health impacts of air pollution on the residents of West Dallas. The text mentions “compelling data on residents’ health concerns and the pervasiveness of respiratory illnesses like asthma,” directly linking environmental conditions to community health outcomes.

   • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

     The article frames the problem as an issue of “environmental injustice.” It states that “communities of color in the United States have been disproportionately exposed to air pollutants due to historical zoning and discriminatory practices.” This directly addresses the core principles of SDG 10, which aims to reduce inequalities within and among countries by ensuring no one is left behind, particularly vulnerable and marginalized communities.

   • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

     The focus on West Dallas, a specific urban area (“a region known as the Singleton Corridor”), and the sources of its pollution (“industrial facilities,” “concrete batch plants,” “freight traffic”) connect the issues to SDG 11. This goal aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, which includes managing urban environmental quality.

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

   The article’s content allows for the identification of specific targets under the aforementioned SDGs.

   • Target 3.9: Substantially reduce deaths and illnesses from pollution

     Under SDG 3, Target 3.9 aims to “by 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.” The article’s focus on “respiratory illnesses like asthma” resulting from exposure to air pollutants from a “lead smelter,” “concrete batch plants,” and “freight traffic” aligns perfectly with this target.

   • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome

     Under SDG 10, Target 10.3 seeks to “ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices.” The article’s reference to “historical zoning and discriminatory practices” that led to the “disproportionate pollution burden” on the West Dallas community directly relates to this target’s goal of rectifying systemic inequalities.

   • Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse environmental impact of cities

     Under SDG 11, Target 11.6 is to “by 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality.” The entire case study of West Dallas, which suffers from poor air quality due to a “concentration of concrete batch plants and freight traffic,” is a direct illustration of the challenge this target aims to address.

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

   The article implies several indicators that could be used to measure progress towards the identified targets, even if it does not list official SDG indicator codes.

   • Indicator for Target 3.9: Prevalence of respiratory illnesses

     The article mentions that the West Dallas Environmental Health Project provides “compelling data on… the pervasiveness of respiratory illnesses like asthma.” This implies that the prevalence rate of asthma and other respiratory diseases within the community is a key indicator used to measure the health impact of pollution. A reduction in these rates would signify progress towards Target 3.9.

   • Indicator for Target 10.3: Data on disproportionate exposure to pollutants

     The concept of a “disproportionate pollution burden” on a “community of color” implies an indicator that measures and compares pollution levels across different demographic areas. Progress towards Target 10.3 could be measured by tracking the reduction in the disparity of pollution exposure between West Dallas and other, less marginalized communities.

   • Indicator for Target 11.6: Air quality monitoring data

     The article identifies specific sources of pollution, including a “lead smelter,” “concrete batch plants,” and “freight traffic.” This implies that an essential indicator for measuring progress on Target 11.6 would be the ambient concentration of specific air pollutants (such as lead, particulate matter) in the West Dallas area. Monitoring these levels would provide direct evidence of changes in the city’s environmental impact.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

   SDGs	Targets	Indicators (as identified or implied in the article)
   SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being	Target 3.9: Substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.	Prevalence rates of respiratory illnesses, such as asthma, within the community.
   SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities	Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices.	Data measuring the disparity in pollution exposure levels between communities of color (like West Dallas) and other communities.
   SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities	Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality.	Ambient air quality data, specifically monitoring concentrations of pollutants from industrial facilities, batch plants, and traffic.

Source: docwirenews.com