Eliminating air pollution disparities requires more than emission reduction

In the United States, people of color are disproportionately and unjustly exposed to air pollution. Historically, environmental policy has emphasized aggregate emission reductions, yet major emission reduction scenarios do not sufficiently mitigate relative exposure disparities. Here, we show that without focusing on relative disparity (percent difference) in exposure, the only way to improve air quality and eliminate absolute exposure disparity is to eliminate all emissions (an unlikely outcome). We demonstrate that the relative disparity metric is ethically important and also a controllable societal feature that can reduce absolute disparity in exposure. We illustrate a range of approaches to air pollution policy that go beyond traditional emission reductions to meaningfully address exposure disparities. These strategies should be at the center of the future US environmental policy.

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Publication Details

Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2025-12-05
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2505888122
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Environmental Justice and Health Disparities
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
4.20
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article

Eliminating air pollution disparities requires more than emission reduction

Libby H. Koolik, Manuel Domínguez Salgado, Regan F. Patterson, Joshua Schulz Apte et al.
1 citations
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Environmental Justice and Health Disparities
4.20
article

Eliminating air pollution disparities requires more than emission reduction

Libby H. Koolik, Manuel Domínguez Salgado, Regan F. Patterson, Joshua Schulz Apte, Esther Min, Julian D. Marshall, Rachel A. Morello-Frosch, Robert D. Bullard, Nico Wedekind
article en
1 citations

Abstract

In the United States, people of color are disproportionately and unjustly exposed to air pollution. Historically, environmental policy has emphasized aggregate emission reductions, yet major emission reduction scenarios do not sufficiently mitigate relative exposure disparities. Here, we show that without focusing on relative disparity (percent difference) in exposure, the only way to improve air quality and eliminate absolute exposure disparity is to eliminate all emissions (an unlikely outcome). We demonstrate that the relative disparity metric is ethically important and also a controllable societal feature that can reduce absolute disparity in exposure. We illustrate a range of approaches to air pollution policy that go beyond traditional emission reductions to meaningfully address exposure disparities. These strategies should be at the center of the future US environmental policy.

Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesVol. 122(50)
University of Jordan (JO), University of California, Los Angeles (US), University of Washington (US), University of California System (US), International Center for Transitional Justice (US), Texas Southern University (US), Seattle University (US), University of California, Berkeley (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Environmental Justice and Health Disparities
4.20
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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Eliminating air pollution disparities requires more than emission reduction — Libby H. Koolik, Manuel Domínguez Salgado, et al. · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS