Communities that contribute the least to global emissions are often the most affected by poor air quality and environmental change (1). Often referred to as climate justice—the idea that environmental impacts are not experienced equally—this imbalance is shaped by differences in infrastructure, policy, economic resources, and proximity to pollution sources.
From power generation to urban pollution, hidden environmental injustices affect the long-term health and well-being of underrepresented communities. As these systemic inequalities become more visible, pathways to a cleaner, healthier future are emerging.
The unequal burden of pollution
Global patterns of unequal exposure
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 99% of the world’s population breathes polluted air, increasing health risks. Marginalized communities face the greatest disparities, as 97% of cities in low- and middle-income countries fail to meet WHO air quality standards, compared to 49% of high-income countries (2)(3).
These disparities are not random—they reflect structural differences in development, regulation, and access to resources.
Urban environments and heat
In Delhi, India, a lower-middle-income country, the dense population combined with an abundance of city emissions and lack of environmental policies have created an overwhelming amount of heat, also known as an Urban Heat Island (4). Surrounded by concrete buildings and cement, heat gets easily trapped within cityscapes and continues to build over time as fuel emissions are burned. Increased temperatures from pollution can manifest into unhealthy air quality environments for individuals, with elevated levels of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) and faster dispersion of pollutant particles (5).
This means that lower-income communities—often living in denser areas with less access to cooling, green space, or protective infrastructure—can experience the most intense effects of both heat and pollution.
Local impacts in the United States
In the United States, similar patterns can be observed at a local level. In some regions, communities are located in close proximity to industrial corridors, where long-term exposure to emissions is part of daily life.
One example is an industrial stretch along the Mississippi River in Louisiana, often referred to as “Cancer Alley,” where residents live near petrochemical facilities and manufacturing plants, also known as fenceline communities (6). Pollutant emissions can leach into water supplies and settle on surfaces, leaving residents to breathe and consume contaminants over extended periods. Parts of this region have been associated with some of the highest estimated cancer risks from industrial air emissions in the United States (7).
In this way, the burden of pollution is shaped not just by geography, but by how communities are positioned in relation to industrial activity—and the resources available to respond.
Environmental change and ecosystem pressure
In the Amazon Rainforest, South America, ongoing deforestation has caused a decrease in rainfall and natural plant resources (8). Deforestation disrupts natural plant cycles, leading to greater climate change and impacting indigenous communities. As trees from the rainforest are harvested, fossil fuels burn from cutting machinery and less plant material is present to consume the excess carbon dioxide, elevating air pollutant levels altogether.
Long-term exposure to air pollutants can lead to chronic health complications including heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory issues. Health complications can affect marginalized communities in disproportionate ways, as it can be more difficult for individuals in these spaces to access affordable medicine or relocate themselves away from pollution (9).
These patterns show how air pollution is not only an environmental issue, but also a question of equity—shaped by where people live and the resources available to respond.
Exposing hidden inequalities
Addressing these disparities often begins with making them visible. Monitoring air quality and environmental conditions is key to shining a new light on hidden climate injustices happening from around the globe to a person’s own backyard.
Global initiatives, such as Schools4Earth, encourage active air quality monitoring while promoting early education and climate advocacy. Schools4Earth works to place air quality monitors in schools worldwide to motivate students to be environmentally conscious and teach safe monitoring practices.
In Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, the Franky Comprehensive Secondary School hosts the country’s first campus-based air quality monitor as part of the Schools4Earth initiative. Cameroon’s air quality data is limited, and by installing a monitor in 2026, the country allows for increased awareness on changing air climate conditions. The air quality monitor is a beacon for both environmental education for students and real-time air pollution surveillance for public safety.
In conjunction with global initiatives, community-led programs are paving a new path for these environmental inequalities to be addressed and surveyed.
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, locals noticed heavy concentrations of industrial and vehicle pollutants present in differing neighborhoods within the city during early 2024. Due to long-term exposure, residents in the region experienced asthma attacks and worsening health conditions. To address the elevated levels of pollutants, residents installed air quality monitors around various areas scattered across the city, allowing locals to survey daily air conditions and address real-time pollution warnings.
In Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, community members have been struggling with long-term air pollution and fuel emissions for years. Compared to high-income countries, Kenya had very limited air quality data, leaving residents defenseless to unknown levels of pollution and toxins. To address this data gap, community members installed an air quality monitor with a Monster Aerosol System and Time-of-Flight Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor. This technology provides real-time, high-resolution data on airborne particles—including nitrates, ammonium, and chlorides—revealing the chemical fingerprints of pollution.
Pathways to cleaner air for all
Through global and community-led programs, environmental issues are becoming more visible—and in some cases, are beginning to shape policy responses.
In 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency strengthened National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter, lowering the rate from 12 to 9 micrograms per cubic meter (10). The updated standard requires significantly lower concentrations of airborne particles for air to be considered safe. In 2019, Europe introduced the European Green Deal, an initiative aimed to reduce fuel emissions and achieve complete carbon neutrality by 2050 (11).
Improving air quality at scale requires coordinated action across individuals, communities, and governments (12), including:
- Individual Actions: Support clean air initiatives, reduce personal pollutant emissions, and amplify marginalized voices
- Community Actions: Install air quality monitors around neighborhoods, create community-led initiatives, and petition in local areas for environmental security
- Government Actions: Enforce stricter fuel emission standards, invest in environmentally sustainable infrastructure, and promote nationwide clean air programs
Addressing these disparities depends on how effectively these efforts are aligned—ensuring that the burden of pollution is reduced, not redistributed.
Conclusion
Air pollution and climate change are closely linked, but their impacts are not evenly distributed. Across regions and communities, exposure is shaped by infrastructure, policy, and access to resources.
Despite contributing the least to global emissions, many low-income communities face the highest levels of pollution with the fewest resources to respond.
Observed each year on June 5, World Environment Day highlights how improving air quality is part of broader environmental efforts—and a meaningful step toward more equitable outcomes.
