Seminar: Air pollution inequity in the United States: The view from space

Abstract

Researchers, citizen scientists, and activists alike have focused attention on the disproportionate exposure to outdoor air pollution experienced by marginalized population groups in the United States, particularly by Black and Brown communities. In this talk, I present several recent studies that document this disproportionate exposure and the associated burden of disease as well as probe the emission sources and activities responsible for this form of environmental injustice. I focus specifically on two ubiquitous air pollutants–nitrogen dioxide, a component of smog, and fine particulate matter, commonly referred to as soot–and leverage novel, high-resolution datasets that combine the strengths of satellite remote sensing and detailed computer models. My results span the causal chain, linking policy and land-use practices with public health and economic damages, and can inform the development of policies that equitably reduce health-harming pollution.