Environmental Justice Implications of Distributive Equity and Near-Roadway Air Quality from Zero-Emission Vehicle Adoption in California
QIAO YU, Brian Yueshuai He, Jiaqi Ma, Yifang Zhu,
University of California, Los Angeles Abstract Number: 291
Working Group: Identifying and Addressing Disparate Health and Social Impacts of Exposure to Aerosols and Other Contaminants across Continents, Communities, and Microenvironments
AbstractZero-emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption is a crucial strategy for climate mitigation in California, with the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. However, the environmental justice implications of ZEV adoption remain ambiguous and understudied. In this research, we endeavor to quantify ZEV adoption in California from 2015 to 2020 at the census tract level, with a particular focus on disadvantaged communities (DACs) and the effects on air quality in the Greater Los Angeles area. To achieve this, we employ an integrated traffic model combined with a dispersion model to simulate air quality changes near roads, specifically examining the differences between DACs and non-DACs. Our findings reveal that per capita ZEV ownership in non-DACs is 3.8 times higher than in DACs. Additionally, black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) residents own fewer ZEVs regardless of their community's DAC designation, when compared to their respective population shares. Although DAC residents receive approximately 40% more pollutant reduction due to intercommunity ZEV trips, they continue to be disproportionately exposed to higher levels of traffic-related air pollutants. This disparity highlights the need for more targeted and inclusive ZEV policies that can effectively address the historically unjust pollution burden faced by DAC and BIPOC residents. In conclusion, our research demonstrates that current ZEV adoption trends in California have not yet equitably benefited all communities, particularly those that are disadvantaged or predominantly composed of BIPOC residents. To achieve truly transformative climate mitigation and environmental justice, it is imperative that future ZEV policies take into account the uneven distribution of ZEV ownership and associated air quality benefits.