Air quality and Vulnerable groups: An agenda for inclusive and just action

October 01, 2024

Air pollution does not discriminate, but social inequities do. While everyone—the poor and rich alike—breathe the same air, it is the marginalized—the poor and socially excluded—who face higher exposure to the toxic risk. The ‘not in my backyard syndrome’ and growing urban gentrification are pushing low-income neighbourhoods to polluted areas with poor pollution-control efforts. This is increasing the disease burden and associated health costs of vulnerable groups.

At the same time, the growing stringency of air-pollution-control measures—including a ban on polluting technologies and vehicles, shifting of industrial units and waste dumps among others—often does not include safeguards and rehabilitation measures to protect the interest of the poor and the vulnerable. This adversely affects their livelihoods and social welfare. Public-health risk reduction has to ensure a just transition.

The National Air Quality Programme therefore needs to integrate environmental justice principles and adopt targeted monitoring and mitigation strategies to protect low-income and marginalized communities in high-risk areas.

Globally, air pollution mitigation measures are integrating environmental justice programmes to reduce disproportionate exposure among disadvantaged communities to provide equitable protection. Only such an approach to secure good health for everyone can bring down the overall disease burden in the country.