Global Clean Air

New EDF report reveals more than 2 million Illinois residents live near a mega-warehouse

By Derek Schwabe / Published: April 26, 2024


What’s new: EDF released a report this week, Illinois Warehouse Boom, which examines the growth of mega-warehouses and their health impacts in communities across Illinois, building on its recent research in New York. The launch event featured a report overview by EDF authors, personal accounts from community advocates and remarks from three state legislators (see full recording above). The report finds that at least one in six Illinois residents now lives within half a mile of a large warehouse of at least 100,000 square feet. Other key findings include:

  • More than 2 million Illinois residents – at least one in six – live within half a mile of a leased warehouse of at least 100,000 square feet.
  • Of those, 127,000 are under age five and 251,100 are over age 64.
  • At least 525,000 freight truck trips per day service a total of 2,401 leased mega-warehouses across the state.
  • Hispanic/Latino populations are 195% more likely to live within half a mile of a warehouse than would be expected, based on statewide statistics.
  • Black populations are 137% more likely to live within half a mile of a warehouse than would be expected, based on statewide statistics.
  • Low-income populations are 125% more likely to live within half a mile of a warehouse than would be expected, based on statewide statistics. This population composes 12.2% of the total population but makes up 15% of warehouse neighbors.

Why it matters: Diesel trucks emit significant pollution around warehouses while idling and while traveling at low speeds, and regulations to protect health haven’t kept up. A growing body of peer-reviewed research shows that exposure to traffic-related air pollution increases the risk of childhood asthma. Asthma is a leading cause of missed school days and has been linked to diminished school performance. Black children are nearly nine times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma and five times more likely to die from asthma, compared to non-Hispanic white children. Air pollution from diesel trucks is also associated with increased health risks at other stages of life. It raises the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, dementia, heart disease and stroke. 

What’s next: policy solutions

The report arrives as Illinois state legislators consider the Warehouse Pollution Insights Act, a bill that would bring greater transparency around mega-warehouses by requiring truck-attracting facilities to report information on warehouse ownership, truck trips and associated emissions to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). The bill would also expand IEPA’s truck and air quality monitoring capacity with a focus on high-impact communities, and require new facilities to include charging infrastructure to support electric freight vehicles.

Other policy responses have also been proposed, such as the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule, which would require truck manufacturers to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emission trucks and school buses. If implemented by 2027, the ACT rule could see approximately half of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles becoming zero-emission vehicles by 2050, according to a Northwestern University analysis supported by EDF.

Go deeper: Download the full report.

Posted in Community Organizer, Concerned Citizen, Environmental Justice, Government Official/Policymaker, Homepage, Monitoring, Partners, Public Health/Environmental Official, USA / Authors: / Comments are closed

Collaborative insights: Empowering health advocacy on methane in Mexico

By EDF Web Team / Published: April 8, 2024
A panel discussion hosted by the Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental (CEMDA) on the Health impacts of the oil and gas sector on communities across Mexico. Photo by Veronica Southerland.

A panel discussion hosted by the Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental (CEMDA) on the health impacts of the oil and gas sector on communities across Mexico. Photo by Veronica Southerland.

What’s new: EDF’s Global Clean Air team was proud to launch the Sall Methane and Health project in March of 2024, a new collaboration funded by the Sall Family Foundation to track the health impacts of methane emitted by the oil and gas industry in Mexico. Key partners in the project include:

  • The Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental (CEMDA), a civil society organization that works to strengthen legal protections for the environment in Mexico.
  • El Observatorio Mexicano de Emisiones de Metano (Obmem), a coalition that advances national and global agreements to reduce methane emissions in the oil and gas industry.

At the launch, EDF and CEMDA connected with community groups and journalists, highlighting relevant EDF findings about methane emissions in Mexico. One such finding is that methane emissions could be up-to 2.5 times higher than reported by government sources.

Why it matters: By raising awareness, fostering collaborations with diverse stakeholders and building rapport with impacted communities, policymakers and journalists in Mexico, EDF is not only enhancing scientific knowledge of methane’s impacts but also laying the groundwork for concrete policies aimed at addressing environmental and health concerns.

The details: The March 13 panel presentation with CEMDA titled “¿Huellas invisibles? Cómo impacta el metano a las comunidades,” shed light on methane’s effects on communities. Sergio Sánchez and Veronica Southerland presented on methane sources, EDF’s past research work and forthcoming efforts to highlight health impacts and strengthen methane regulations.

The EDF team also met with CEMDA and Obmem, who were instrumental in solidifying diverse cross-sector partnerships for the project. Discussions revolved around project goals, potential roles, and the formulation of a $50,000 subgrant that would enable CEMDA to convene Mexican methane policy experts to help build consensus and momentum toward solutions.

What’s next: As the project gets underway, key focus areas will include:

  • Disproportionate impacts on vulnerable demographics like women and children
  • Replicating previous US studies in Mexico
  • Expanding research avenues to encompass broader air pollutant attributable health burden studies in Mexico.

As the project moves forward, strengthening collaboration between EDF, CEMDA, Obmem and other groups will prove pivotal in shaping future insights generated and policy solutions. The EDF team will continue to share updates on the Sall Methane and Health project here on the Global Clean Air blog as they unfold—stay tuned!

Veronica Southerland is an environmental health scientist with expertise in the health impacts of air pollution.

Learn more about the health impacts of methane here. 

Posted in Academic, Energy, Environmental Justice, Government Official/Policymaker, Homepage, Mexico, Partners, Public Health/Environmental Official, Science / Comments are closed

EDF partners with Brazil’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change on strategy to update air quality standards

By Sergio Sanchez / Published: March 25, 2024
EDF’s Global Clean Air team examines local air quality management data with local government partners in Brazil. Photo by Sergio Sanchez.

EDF’s Global Clean Air team examines local air quality management data with local government partners in Brazil. Photo by Sergio Sanchez.

What’s new: EDF’s Global Clean Air (GCA) team met earlier this month with a working group within Brazil’s national government charged with updating the country’s air quality standards. EDF is providing technical support to the group, led by Brazil’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA), to overhaul the country’s air quality management strategy, aiming to establish stricter standards. The purpose of the new strategy is to align Brazil’s air quality standards with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines by 2024, following a recent Supreme Court mandate.

The partnership grew out of EDF’s regional initiative with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The purpose of that initiative is to support and connect senior leaders as they pursue innovative clean air actions in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

Why it matters: The largest and most populous country in the LAC region, Brazil witnesses 60,000 premature deaths each year due to air pollution. Further, the country loses 2-3% of its annual GDP in health and livelihood related costs. By improving its air quality management, Brazil will not only have an opportunity to significantly improve the health of its nearly 220 million inhabitants and boost its economy, but to also set an example for the rest of the region and the world while driving progress on its climate goals.

The details: Key components of Brazil’s new air quality management strategy on which EDF is providing support include:

  • Setting up-to-date air quality standards, climate pollution reduction targets and an implementation roadmap
  • Supporting advanced air quality monitoring systems and guides for effective implementation
  • Initiatives to center and public health as a key focus of air quality management
  • An emphasis on best practices, tools and community-led solutions

The strategy will also introduce cutting edge technologies and robust tools for ensuring compliance, with a focus on cross-sector partnerships and policy innovation. It further proposes innovative financing mechanisms that would enable cities and states to independently mobilize additional funds for enhanced source identification and cross-sector efforts.

What’s next: Once the new air quality standards and monitoring system are set up, EDF aims to continue providing support as Brazil moves toward implementation, working to unlock major investments in solutions that cut emissions, such as transport electrification, clean energies and sustainable agricultural practices.

EDF’s LAC-focused Global Clean Air team includes Senior Policy Director, Sergio Sanchez, Senior Economics and Policy Analyst, Abhinand Krishnashankar and consultant Armando Retama. For more on EDF’s partnership on air quality management with Brazil, check out this blog from October, 2023.

Posted in Brazil, Climate, Environmental Justice, Government Official/Policymaker, Homepage, Monitoring, Partners, Public Health/Environmental Official / Comments are closed

Mobile monitoring reveals congestion effect for vehicle emissions in London

By lpadilla / Published: March 11, 2024
University of York mobile laboratory for measuring ambient air pollution.

University of York mobile laboratory for measuring ambient air pollution (Photo taken by Shona Wilde).

New study shows just how much congestion intensifies emissions from diesel vehicles  

In a recently published study, researchers from the University of York and Environmental Defense Fund show how traffic exacerbates nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution from road vehicles, in particular from intense emitters like diesel trucks and buses, pointing to solutions that can bring an outsize benefit to air quality.  

Comparing pollution with targeted monitoring  

EDF and York designed a study that measured air pollution along two distinct routes in the London metropolitan area—one that was extremely congested in Central London and the other farther from the city center where drivers experience more free-flowing conditions including some highway driving. The Central London route was identified as a pollution hotspot in the Breathe London Pilot project, which provided motivation for the new targeted study.  

Using York’s mobile monitoring laboratory equipped with fast-response instruments, we collected ambient measurements of both NOx and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) for two weeks along the two different routes to quantify the emission intensity of the London fleet, which included a wide range of vehicle types driving in both heavy congestion and light-traffic conditions. We also used dashboard video recordings to identify which specific vehicle types were the likely cause of hotspots.  

Using the latest analysis methods, we mapped the spatial patterns of persistent emission sources, while simultaneously revealing the attributes of the most significant emitters within the vehicle fleet. We found that NOx emissions were a factor of two times higher for fleets with a high proportion of diesel vehicles operating in congested driving conditions, and a factor of five times higher for intense emitters like SCR-retrofit diesel buses and heavy goods vehicles in stop-and-go traffic. 

We then compared our data to an existing database of measurements from remote sensors, which measure vehicle emissions more directly at the tailpipe, to verify our ambient data against an established reference. The comparison further demonstrated the congestion effect whereby fleets predominately composed of vehicles rated with the highest emission standards (Euro 6/VI) generated NOx pollution that would be expected from a fleet of lower standard vehicles (Euro 2/II-5/V), when impacted by high traffic. 

Our new approach allowed us to focus on the emission intensity of both the overall fleet and specific high-emitting vehicles and make comparisons to established measurements of real-world emissions. The results provided greater insight than standard measurements solely focused on total ambient concentrations.  

Real-time, high-frequency air pollution measurements.

Real-time, high-frequency air pollution measurements. (Photo taken by Shona Wilde)

New methods increase understanding with fewer resources 

Beyond illustrating the impact congestion has on emission intensity, the study shows the feasibility of extracting valuable insights from reasonably short mobile monitoring campaigns. Compared to previous large-scale studies, such as the ~1-year long Breathe London mobile study, this campaign was less resource intensive, requiring just two weeks of driving and reducing vehicle and instrument maintenance. This campaign simplified field logistics and increased the efficiency of the data analysis. The new method could also prove useful to scientists and policy makers who want to learn more about local fleet emissions under a variety of traffic conditions in places that aren’t currently well-monitored. Mobile monitoring provided a continuous picture of emissions along a route, not limited to individual locations like stationary monitors.  

This approach offers policy makers a new way to spot specific vehicle types and conditions that produce greater emission intensity, so they can develop targeted interventions and monitor progress over time in a cost-effective manner.  

While there is no substitute for knowing the exact vehicle emitting pollution, as one might find using remote sensing, this new technique provides useful information in places where remote sensing is either impossible or impractical. It’s also especially useful when exploring the impacts of congestion, as remote sensing is not well suited for stop-and-go traffic.  

While the project focused on London, the methods and insights developed can be useful for other cities, particularly those where there are diesel vehicles operating in heavy traffic. 

Practical policy applications 

Because this method identifies the effects of the highest-polluting vehicles in the most congested areas, it gives local transportation officials a clear roadmap to develop the most impactful solutions.  

The adverse effect of congestion on tailpipe emissions can be eliminated with the transition to electric vehicles, which has added benefits for the climate, especially for heavy-duty diesel trucks and buses. Officials could also consider introducing solutions like restricting operating hours for these vehicles in high-traffic areas or creating bus lanes, both of which could ease congestion. The approach could help determine which city-owned vehicles need to come in for maintenance to restore performance of aging exhaust aftertreatment technology. 

In cities that already implement clean air zones and technology retrofit programs, air quality can improve even further if high congestion can be better addressed in places where diesel vehicles operate. In London, where the ULEZ has already helped reduce ambient Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) concentrations, accelerating replacement of the most potent polluters with electric vehicles, starting with the most congested routes, would provide additional climate, health and mobility benefits improving the driving experience for everyone. 

To learn more about the study, read the article in Atmospheric Environment: X.  

Posted in Academic, Community Organizer, Concerned Citizen, Environmental Justice, Government Official/Policymaker, Homepage, Monitoring, Public Health/Environmental Official, Science, UK / Comments are closed

What does EPA’s new soot standard mean for public health?

By Ananya Roy / Published: February 23, 2024
The EPA's new soot standard will bring significant health benefits to all populations across the United States, including children.

The EPA’s new soot standard will bring significant health benefits to all populations across the United States, including children.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) soot rules just got a lot stronger. On February 7, the agency lowered the national limit of annual fine particle pollution—or soot—to 9 micrograms per cubic meter, down from 12, taking a vital step forward for clean air, public health and environmental justice. According to EPA’s own estimates, the new standard will result in 4,500 fewer deaths, 800,000 fewer asthma attacks and up to $46 billion in net health benefits in its first full year of implementation alone.

Now, EPA and states will move to implement the new standard under the familiar cooperative federal-state framework that has a long-running track record of success in cutting fossil fuel emissions and driving down pollution. That will allow families across the country to breathe cleaner, healthier air. Let’s dig deeper into the details of what those health benefits will look like.

Overwhelming scientific evidence points to significant health benefits of protective standards, especially for communities of color and low-income households

Fine particle pollution contains tiny airborne particles like dust and drops of liquids that are so small they penetrate deep into the lungs and can enter the blood, causing and worsening disease. Decades of science document the devastating impact air pollution has on health, the inadequacy of the previous standard to protect health and the need for a more protective standard.

Despite using different methods, EDF’s independent analysis by IEc affirms EPA’s assessment of the health benefits of the more protective standard . It found that a 9 micrograms per cubic meter national standard would avoid thousands of childhood asthma attacks and trips to the emergency room, hospitalizations due to Alzheimer’s disease and heart attacks, and premature deaths.

These health benefits are even greater for communities of color and low-income populations. Our analysis indicates that when the rule is implemented, Black Americans (who experience the heaviest burdens from soot pollution) would see the greatest per capita benefit from meeting a more protective standard, avoiding 61 air pollution deaths per 100,000 people each year. In addition, people living below two times the poverty line stand to experience 25% higher benefits than those with higher incomes.

EPA's new soot rule will save lives across all racial groups, when enforced

For decades, communities of color and low income areas have been targeted for environmental hazards that other communities did not want: Power plants, landfills, shipping ports, freeways and factories. Our  analysis with IEc found that older Black, Asian and Hispanic Americans had greater likelihood (43%, 38% and 27% higher, respectively) than others of living in neighborhoods where air pollution levels were above 9 micrograms per cubic meter. 

The resulting inequities in pollution exposure are further aggravated by long standing discriminatory disinvestment, inadequate housing, limited health care and poor educational and economic opportunities which perpetuate health disparities and increase these communities’ vulnerability to the health impacts of air pollution. For example in Pennsylvania, soot is estimated to result in nearly 7,000 deaths per year, of which 30% are in low income populations and nearly 1 in 5 are in Black populations.

New soot rule is a huge first step

EPA’s decision to strengthen our national standards for fine particulate matter is a welcome leap forward that will reduce disparities and prevent health harms. However, a stronger standard alone is not sufficient to eradicate disparities and air pollution’s health burden. Government at all levels must continue to develop complementary policies, strengthen monitoring and invest in historically burdened communities. Further, it’s critical to defend and swiftly implement the rule to ensure communities across the country can benefit from clean air and its health benefits.

Ananya Roy is an Environmental Epidemiologist with expertise in the health effects of air pollution and lead exposure. Read more about her work here. 

Posted in Academic, Environmental Justice, Government Official/Policymaker, Homepage, Monitoring / Comments are closed

Underfunding the fight against air pollution is a crisis we must tackle at UNEA-6 and beyond

By Sergio Sanchez / Published: February 6, 2024
Addressing the enormous funding disparity for clean air solutions is essential to achieving global health, climate, and sustainable development goals.

Addressing the enormous funding disparity for clean air solutions is essential to achieving global health, climate and sustainable development goals.

Air pollution affects almost everyone and carries severe consequences for public health, the environment and our climate, yet efforts to combat it are severely underfunded, especially in Latin America and the Global South. Less than 1% of development funding goes to air quality programming each year.

When leaders meet at the Sixth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) at the end of February in Nairobi, we have the opportunity to demonstrate how investing in air quality programs is a no-brainer that will deliver huge economic, health and environmental dividends.

Ignoring air pollution is expensive: A staggering 7 million die prematurely each year due to air pollution. But this astonishing statistic barely scratches the surface of the problem. The morbidities from air pollution, including chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular conditions and mental health deterioration are also costly. According to the World Bank, the economic toll of health impacts from air pollution totals $8.1 trillion annually, equivalent to 6.1% of the global GDP.

A disproportionate burden on the Global South: Regions across the Global South face a disproportionate share of the air pollution crisis, further aggravated by severe underfunding. For example, the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region received only 1% of all air quality funding spent worldwide between 2017-2021, according to a Clean Air Fund analysis. These areas, grappling with booming populations and escalating transport and industrial activities, confront unique challenges in combatting air pollution and are hindered by limited resources.

The link between air pollution and climate change: The connection between air pollution and climate change is intricate. Air pollution results from many of the same activities that are best known for emitting greenhouse gasses, such as fossil fuel-powered transportation, agricultural production and waste management. Cutting these emissions not only slows global warming but also improves immediate health outcomes by alleviating air pollution, offering enormous returns on investment for both human wellbeing and the climate.

Graphic source: The State of Global Air Quality Funding 2023, The Clean Air Fund

Graphic source: The State of Global Air Quality Funding 2023, The Clean Air Fund

The societal and economic benefits: Addressing air pollution globally—especially in the Global South—can revolutionize societal well-being and spur economic growth. Every $1 spent on reducing air pollution returns about $30 in economic benefits, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Cleaner air leads to healthier communities, reduced healthcare costs, increased productivity and enhanced quality of life. It’s also a critical step toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

How key stakeholders can help: Every major sector will have a role to play if we are to tackle air pollution and achieve health, climate and sustainability objectives. Here is how.

  • Governments can help set a clean air agenda by prioritizing integrated clean air initiatives within national and subnational policies. This involves enforcing stringent emissions regulations, investing in sustainable infrastructure and allocating resources. Governments should also seek partnerships with the private sector to leverage additional resources and expertise. Aligning funding with regional priorities and international frameworks is also crucial for effective implementation.
  • Funders should lead the way in amending the funding imbalance by establishing dedicated financing mechanisms for new clean air projects and increasing access to climate and development funds. They can also help improve coordination between public and private sources to maximize impact per dollar and foster cross-sector collaboration.
  • Non-profit organizations are pivotal for raising awareness of the air pollution crisis and conveying the enormous economic, health and climate returns to clean air funding. Through strategic engagement with governments, funders, impacted communities and the private sector, the global civil society community can also strengthen the case for more equitable deployment of clean air funding across regions.
  • The private sector is vital for combating air pollution by striving to reduce emissions and investing in clean technologies. The World Economic Forum’s recent collaboration with the Clean Air Fund offers a sound example of how a joint endeavor with governments and civil society can help achieve universal clean air. Initiatives like this can empower businesses to contribute resources and innovation, promoting sustainable supply chains and assisting companies to meet emission reduction targets.

New opportunities: The Climate and Clean Air Coalition’s Clean Air Flagship announced at COP28 and the Draft Resolution on Air Pollution expected at UNEA-6 later this month represent big steps in the global collaboration against air pollution. While helping coordinate collective action, these initiatives must be accompanied by an unrelenting call for increased funding. The overwhelming economic, public health and environmental returns on such an investment should feature heavily in that call.

As we gear up for UNEA-6, recognizing the intertwined nature of air pollution, public health and climate change is crucial. Expanding funding and concerted action is not just an environmental or health necessity; it’s a moral imperative for the well-being of current and future generations. Now is the time for urgent, coordinated action to protect our planet and ensure clean air for all.

Sergio Sánchez is the Senior Policy Director of Global Clean Air for EDF Health, working globally to implement air pollution abatement policies and climate change mitigation strategies.

Posted in Climate, Corporate Sustainability Professional, Energy, Environmental Justice, Government Official/Policymaker, Homepage / Comments are closed

Report: One in four New York State residents lives within half a mile of a mega-warehouse

By Derek Schwabe / Published: January 18, 2024

One in four New York State residents lives within half a mile of a mega-warehouse.What’s new: A new report released today by EDF and ElectrifyNY traces the growth of mega-warehouses–and their health impacts–in communities across New York State, driven in-part by the e-commerce boom. One in four New York State residents now lives within half a mile of a large warehouse of at least 50,000 square feet. Click here to read the full report. Other key findings include:

  • 4.8 million state residents in total live within half a mile of a leased warehouse of at least 50,000 square feet.
  • Of those, 315,000 are under age five and 649,000 are over age 64.
  • Black, Hispanic/Latino and low-income populations live near warehouses at rates that are more than 59%, 48% and 42% higher, respectively, than would be expected based on statewide demographics.
  • New York mega-warehouses attract hundreds of thousands of freight truck trips daily, making them top sources of air pollution in communities where they are located.

Why it matters: Diesel trucks emit significant pollution around warehouses while idling and while traveling at low speeds, and regulations to protect health haven’t kept up. EDF research shows that nitrogen dioxide – one of the main pollutants released by these trucks – contributes to more than 21,000 new childhood asthma cases every year in the New York City metropolitan region alone. In areas with worse pollution, it contributes to more than 30% of new asthma diagnoses.

Asthma is a leading cause of missed school days and has been linked to diminished school performance. Black children are nearly nine times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma and five times more likely to die from asthma, compared to non-Hispanic white children. Air pollution from diesel trucks is also associated with increased health risks at other stages of life. It raises the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, dementia, heart disease and stroke. 

Go deeper: Download the full report.

Posted in Academic, Concerned Citizen, Environmental Justice, Government Official/Policymaker, Homepage, Monitoring, New York City, Partners, Public Health/Environmental Official, USA / Comments are closed

New interactive data story highlights air pollution and health impacts in the South Bronx

By Mindi DePaola / Published: December 20, 2023
South Bronx Unite's new interactive data story clearly maps the concentration of warehouses and other truck-attracting facilities in the South Bronx and other parts of New York City. It also maps the associated disproportionate health burden borne by the community, including higher childhood asthma rates.

South Bronx Unite’s new interactive data story clearly maps the concentration of warehouses and other truck-attracting facilities in the South Bronx and throughout New York City. It also maps some of the health impacts associated with the air pollution emitted by the facilities and large diesel trucks that often come with them.

What’s new: EDF partner, South Bronx Unite, has just launched an interactive data visualization that’s mapping what residents of the South Bronx have long experienced—that air pollution from industrial facilities is taking a disproportionate toll on the health of residents in their community and across New York City. For the last year, a multi-disciplinary team at EDF has been collaborating with South Bronx Unite to improve local air quality monitoring and create engaging tools that tell the stories found in monitoring data.

Why it matters: Every city relies on large industrial facilities, and New York City is no exception. Think waste transfer stations, power plants, printing facilities and warehouses that support in-time delivery services. Many of these facilities are major air polluters in the neighborhoods where they are placed. Beyond the facilities themselves, the heavy-duty vehicles that they attract, such as large delivery trucks, are among the leading polluters on the road.

What we know: For decades, South Bronx residents have faced disproportionately high air pollution and asthma rates. Leveraging recent EDF research that describes air pollution’s burden of childhood asthma, the new webpage now backs up residents’ lived experiences with even more quantitative information, presented as a narrated interactive visualization that helps tell the story.

How the work has been used: Presenting this additional data in an easy-to-understand format will help advance tangible policy change that can improve health outcomes in the South Bronx and beyond. South Bronx Unite leaders recently participated in NYC Climate Week events where they used this tool to tell the story of their air quality monitoring efforts and what they will mean for public health.

Moving forward: South Bronx Unite will continue to use the air quality and health insights from this new tool to advance their advocacy goals. They have begun working closely with the EDF New York State team to build consensus with local coalitions.

Real policy actions are already taking shape in New York that could help alleviate the health impacts of warehouses and other polluting facilities in the South Bronx and across the state. In November 2023, state lawmakers introduced the Clean Deliveries Act, which would require the state to review the negative impacts of so-called “mega-warehouses” and establish emissions reduction plans.

South Bronx Unite brings together neighborhood residents, community organizations, academic institutions and allies to improve and protect the social, environmental and economic future of the South Bronx. Learn more about their work and how you can support it at southbronxunite.org.

Posted in Academic, Climate, Community Organizer, Concerned Citizen, Environmental Justice, Government Official/Policymaker, Homepage, Monitoring, New York City, Partners, Public Health/Environmental Official, Science, USA / Comments are closed

Efforts to fight air pollution are severely underfunded. Leaders in Latin America and across the Global South are calling for change at COP28 and beyond

By Derek Schwabe / Published: November 30, 2023
The Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean convenes in Panama City, Panama in October 2023. The Forum plays a crucial role in shaping environmental policies and achieving consensus across the region.

The Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean convenes in Panama City, Panama in October 2023. The Forum plays a crucial role in shaping and building consensus around environmental policies.

What’s new: The ministers of environment representing 33 countries in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region recently issued a joint declaration calling out the yawning gap between the funds needed to address the global air pollution crisis and the funds currently committed. The declaration is noteworthy because it has set a tone for influential global dialogues happening this week at COP28 and in February at the 6th session of the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA-6).

Why it matters: 99% of the world’s population now breathes unhealthy air. As a result, more than 8 million people die prematurely each year due to fossil fuel-driven air pollution, making it the 4th leading cause of death worldwide. Despite the staggering human costs, currently only 1% of development funding goes to programs aimed at improving air quality each year.

The LAC region is one of the most underfunded when it comes to air quality. Expanding investments in air quality would help the region reach its climate goals and improve health outcomes. It could also set the stage for scaling investments in air quality in underfunded regions across the Global South.

The details: In the declaration, ministers stressed the need for regional and global coordination. They also called upon the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)—which is responsible for leading implementation—to provide technical support to countries as they enact key policies, like air quality standards and management plans. Specific actions requested of UNEP include:

  • Leading the implementation of the Regional Action Plan on Air Quality and mobilizing the resources needed to support it;
  • Helping countries strengthen legal frameworks to prevent and reduce air pollution by adopting air quality standards and developing plans for crucial sectors;
  • Encouraging countries to act boldly to abate emissions of short-lived climate pollutants;
  • Promoting best practices, infrastructure and sustainable transport initiatives that can ensure a just transition in hot spots, especially large cities.

What they’re saying: Senior Policy Director of Global Clean Air, Sergio Sanchez, spoke of the declaration: “This declaration marks a bold step toward realizing the vision of a thriving LAC region. When we act collectively to cut air pollution, we act to meet the climate crisis, strengthen our economy and dramatically improve health. We will continue to support the regional and global partnerships needed to mobilize this action at COP 28, UNEA-6 and beyond.”

What EDF is doing: In September 2022, EDF and UNEP launched a joint initiative to help LAC countries develop funding-ready clean air projects. Since then, EDF has continued to grow that effort by:

  • Helping UNEP implement the Regional Action Plan to coordinate strategic investments.
  • Convening two major international workshops to reactivate the region’s Intergovernmental Network on Air Pollution. These workshops have fostered new partnerships and high-impact projects backed by participant governments and global partners, such as the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the OECD.
  • Hosting a side event at the 2023 LAC Climate Week, focused on mobilizing greater financing for air quality in the region. The event debuted a new video that lays out how such actions could transform population health and power economic growth.
  • Serving on the Climate and Clean Air Coalition task force, which is dedicated to designing the Clean Air Flagship, set to launch at COP28. The purpose of the Flagship is to enhance funding and cooperation efforts globally.

What’s next: As leaders from all sectors gather at COP28, LAC leaders have an opportunity to take their call to the global stage. It’s a chance to join with governments from across world—especially other neglected regions—to demand that the air pollution crisis receives the funding it requires.

Leaders will have a second opportunity at UNEA-6 to secure greater investments in air quality by having the global assembly ratify regional calls for broader support. If ratified, UNEP would be tasked with implementing the declaration of the global assembly. Ratification would give UNEP some additional budget—and a stronger mandate to take to donor governments and agencies.

Learn more about our clean air partnership with UNEP and LAC countries at globalcleanair.org/LAC.

Posted in Climate, Concerned Citizen, Energy, Environmental Justice, Government Official/Policymaker, Homepage, Mexico, Partners, Public Health/Environmental Official / Comments are closed

New science to help policymakers address unequal impacts of air pollution

By Maria Harris / Published: November 13, 2023
NO2 pollution in the United States and the extent to which tools capture differences in exposure by marginalized groups

This graphic maps nitrogen dioxide pollution levels in the United States as quantified by satellite, monitor and model data sources (left) and shows how these datasets differ in estimating inequities in pollution exposure (right)

What’s new: EDF and partners have just published new research that explores how novel data sources, including satellites and computer models, can help improve our ability to map, identify, track and reduce disparities in air pollution exposure and health impacts.

What we know: Air pollution in the United States has declined dramatically over the last several decades, thanks to strong, protective clean air policies. And yet, unjust disparities in pollution exposure remain, with people of color in the United States burdened by higher levels of health-harming pollution than white people, regardless of income. One root cause of this pollution inequity is historic disinvestment in communities of color through racist policies like redlining, along with discriminatory siting of highways and polluting industrial facilities.

Levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a key health-harming pollutant emitted by trucks, cars and industrial facilities, can vary substantially at fine spatial scales – even from one end of a block to the other. For example, an EDF study in West Oakland, California found that NO2 levels could be up to four times higher in areas of the neighborhood close to truck traffic and other pollution sources.

Research and policy decision-making has historically relied on NO2 measurements from government regulatory monitors—complex and expensive stationary instruments that must meet rigorous standards. Data from these monitors helps the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identify areas where air pollution levels exceed Clean Air Act health standards and guides actions to reduce pollution. However, given how much NO2 concentrations can vary across small distances, it is unlikely we will ever deploy enough of these monitors to enable a full understanding of exposure disparities that exist between population groups.

What this research adds: New datasets, including satellite data, statistical models and photochemical models, can estimate NO2 at a relatively high spatial resolution and across the entire United States. Our new research compared estimates of NO2 levels and racial/ethnic exposure disparities using these novel data sources to estimates based on traditional data from the US EPA regulatory monitoring network.

The new NO2 data sources showed that Black, Hispanic, Asian and multiracial Americans experienced average NO2 levels that were 15-50% higher than those experienced by the US population in 2019. Meanwhile, the non-Hispanic white population experienced levels that were 5-15% lower. In contrast, data from the regulatory monitors indicated more moderate patterns of racial/ethnic disparities, suggesting that the regulatory network does not currently provide a full understanding of inequity in pollution exposure.

NO2
dataset*

How it can contribute to better policies and enforcement
Regulatory Monitors • Monitoring attainment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards
• Ground-truthing satellite and model datasets
Satellites • Guiding placement of future regulatory monitors or measurement campaigns
• Identifying potential pollution
Photochemical and statistical models • Tracking and reporting trends over time in pollution disparities
• Estimating NO2-attributable disease burdens and associated disparities
• Quantifying source sector contributions to ambient NO2 (Photochemical models)

Moving forward: This research demonstrates that policymakers and regulators will need to incorporate new sources of data beyond the existing regulatory monitoring network to accurately understand which policies are or could be most effective in helping close the racial-ethnic gap in air pollution exposure.

The table above outlines how satellite and modeling data can complement existing sources. Satellite data can be leveraged to identify pollution hotspots currently not measured by regulatory monitors, which could guide placement of new government monitors and investigations of potential emissions sources. Air pollution models can enable tracking and reporting of pollution disparity trends over time   and make it easier to quantify health impacts.

Integrating these new data sources into regulatory decision-making would improve the coverage of the regulatory monitoring network, enable a more complete understanding of inequities in air pollution exposure and inform policies aimed at mitigating this environmental injustice.

Maria Harris in a Senior Scientist at Environmental Defense Fund. Learn more about her work here. 

*Table adapted from Table 1 in Kerr et al. 2023

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