Report on Air Quality Degradation in Wisconsin due to Wildfire Smoke

Introduction: A Regional Environmental Crisis with Global Implications

Intermittent and severe degradation of air quality has been recorded in Wisconsin, particularly in the Milwaukee area, due to smoke from Canadian wildfires. This phenomenon presents significant challenges to public health, environmental stability, and regional sustainability, directly engaging several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This report analyzes the causes, impacts, and future outlook of this recurring environmental issue.

Analysis of Causal Factors and Environmental Impact

Source of Atmospheric Pollutants

The primary cause of the diminished air quality is the transport of large smoke plumes from major wildfires in Canada, including those in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. These plumes are carried into the upper Midwest region of the United States via the jet stream.

Climate Change as a Driving Factor: A Challenge to SDG 13 and SDG 15

The increasing intensity and frequency of Canadian wildfires are exacerbated by climate change, a critical concern addressed by SDG 13: Climate Action. The process involves several key factors:

• Warming Temperatures: Higher spring temperatures lead to early and rapid snowmelt.
• Soil Desiccation: The rapid melt leaves soil and ground cover exceptionally dry.
• Increased Fire Risk: These dry conditions, often ignited by natural events like lightning, create an environment conducive to large-scale, difficult-to-control wildfires.

The scale of destruction is unprecedented, with the 2023 season setting records for area burned. The current season has seen nearly 6 million hectares (over 23,000 square miles) of forest destroyed. This massive loss of forest ecosystems directly undermines SDG 15: Life on Land, which aims to protect, restore, and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and halt biodiversity loss.

Air Quality Measurement and Public Health Implications

Monitoring and Assessment Protocols

Air quality is primarily communicated to the public through the Air Quality Index (AQI), a 24-hour average measurement of key pollutants. For wildfire smoke, the critical pollutant is PM2.5—particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns.

1. State-Level Monitoring: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) operates instruments across the state to measure these pollutants.
2. Real-Time Estimation: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a “NowCast” service, which uses data from regulatory monitors and low-cost sensors to estimate current AQI levels, offering more immediate information.

These monitoring efforts are essential for safeguarding communities, a core tenet of SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, which includes targets for reducing the adverse environmental impact of cities, including air quality.

Impact on Human Health: A Threat to SDG 3

The presence of PM2.5 in the air poses significant health risks, directly challenging the objectives of SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. The microscopic size of these particles allows them to penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.

• Immediate Effects: Inhalation can cause inflammation in the lungs and damage cells throughout the body, potentially triggering strokes and heart attacks, especially in vulnerable individuals.
• Long-Term Risks: Chronic exposure to air pollution, particularly during childhood, can lead to permanently reduced lung function and may increase the risk of certain cancers.

Safety Recommendations and Future Outlook

Public Safety Guidelines

The Wisconsin DNR has issued recommendations based on AQI levels to protect public health, in alignment with the goals of SDG 3 and SDG 11.

• AQI 101-150 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups): The general public should limit outdoor activities to be light and short. Sensitive groups (children, elderly, pregnant women, individuals with heart or respiratory conditions) should move indoors if symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath occur.
• AQI 151-200 (Unhealthy): All individuals should avoid strenuous outdoor activities. Sensitive groups should consider moving all activities indoors.
• Protective Measures: Wearing an N-95 mask can reduce exposure when outdoors. Indoors, running an air conditioner on recirculate and avoiding activities that generate indoor pollution, such as vacuuming, is advised.

Future Projections and the Urgency of Climate Action

The conditions fostered by climate change suggest that severe wildfire seasons may become a recurring event. The continued warming trend indicates that large-scale smoke events affecting Wisconsin’s air quality are likely to persist in future summers. This ongoing threat underscores the critical importance of global cooperation on SDG 13: Climate Action to mitigate the root causes of these environmental disasters and protect the health and sustainability of communities worldwide.

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

The article discusses issues related to air quality, public health, climate change, and forest ecosystems, which are directly connected to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 15: Life on Land

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

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.
  
  Explanation: The article extensively details the health risks associated with wildfire smoke, which is a form of air pollution. It mentions that smoke particles “can lead to inflammation in the lungs and damage to cells throughout the body,” potentially causing “strokes and heart attacks.” It also notes long-term risks like “permanently reduced lung function” and an increased “risk of cancer.” The Wisconsin DNR’s recommendations for sensitive groups to avoid outdoor activities directly address the need to prevent illnesses from air pollution.

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.
  
  Explanation: The article’s central theme is the deteriorating air quality in Milwaukee, a specific city. It states that “Milwaukee’s air quality measurements have deteriorated to among the worst in the world,” highlighting a significant adverse environmental impact on an urban area. The entire discussion on measuring and forecasting air quality for the city directly relates to this target.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
  
  Explanation: The article explicitly links the wildfires to climate change, stating that “recent Canadian wildfire seasons have been exacerbated by climate change and warm spring temperatures.” It warns that this problem could “be on repeat again and again” because “climate change isn’t going away.” The wildfires are presented as a recurring climate-related hazard, and the community’s response (monitoring air quality, issuing health warnings) is a form of adaptation.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• 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.
  
  Explanation: The source of the air pollution is the massive burning of forests in Canada. The article quantifies this destruction, noting that the “2023 wildfire season in Canada broke records for the area burned” and that this year, “almost 6 million hectares burned.” This massive loss of forest area represents a failure to halt forest degradation and a challenge to sustainable forest management, which are central to this target.

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

Indicators for SDG 3 and SDG 11

• Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5): The article explicitly mentions this indicator. It states that the Wisconsin DNR measures pollutants and that “Wildfire smoke falls under the category of pollutants known as PM2.5.” This is a direct indicator for Target 11.6 (Indicator 11.6.2) and is used to assess air pollution’s impact on health for Target 3.9.
• Air Quality Index (AQI): The article introduces the AQI as the primary way air quality is reported to the public: “We’re used to getting air quality reports in terms of one number – the Air Quality Index, or AQI.” It further breaks down the meaning of different AQI levels (e.g., “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” “unhealthy levels”), making it a key metric for monitoring air quality.
• Incidence of respiratory and cardiovascular illness: While not providing statistics, the article implies these as indicators by describing the health impacts. It mentions symptoms like “coughing or shortness of breath” and conditions such as “inflammation in the lungs,” “strokes and heart attacks,” and “permanently reduced lung function,” which can be tracked to measure the health burden of air pollution.

Indicators for SDG 13 and SDG 15

• Area of forest land burned: The article provides a direct quantitative indicator of a climate-related disaster and forest degradation. It states, “The 2023 wildfire season in Canada broke records for the area burned. This year is also an outlier, with almost 6 million hectares burned.” This data point directly measures the impact of a natural disaster and the extent of forest loss.

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.

Source: jsonline.com