Substantial increase in population exposure to multiple environmental burdens in sub-Saharan Africa (2000-2019)
In the face of increasing global environmental uncertainties, sub-Saharan Africa stands as a highly vulnerable region with a massive population marked with poverty and inequalities. Moreover, different environmental risk factors can coexist simultaneously as multiple environmental burdens (MEBs); ho...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad376b |
| _version_ | 1797216610119843840 |
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| author | Ankit Sikarwar Valérie Golaz |
| author_facet | Ankit Sikarwar Valérie Golaz |
| author_sort | Ankit Sikarwar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the face of increasing global environmental uncertainties, sub-Saharan Africa stands as a highly vulnerable region with a massive population marked with poverty and inequalities. Moreover, different environmental risk factors can coexist simultaneously as multiple environmental burdens (MEBs); however, population exposure to MEB remains unexamined. Here, using open-access spatial data and critical thresholds, we quantify population exposure to four key environmental risk factors: hazardous fine particulate matter (PM _2.5 ) levels, extreme temperature increase, prolonged severe droughts, and green deficit (scarcity of green trees). Further, we explore the concept of MEB, where these risk factors converge. We derive exposure for 2000 and 2019 at the pixel (1 km grid cell) level. We also check how population change, environmental change, and their interaction contribute to the total change in exposure. We found substantial changes in the population exposed from 2000 to 2019, i.e. an increase of ∼460 million people to hazardous PM _2.5 levels, ∼16 million to extreme temperature increase, ∼13 million to prolonged severe droughts, and ∼246 million to green deficit. Population exposure to at least three of these four environmental risk factors (3EB) has increased by ∼246 million. In this increase in exposure to 3EB, the contribution of environmental change is higher (48%), than that of interaction and population change (36% and 15%, respectively). Notably, there are striking disparities in population exposure, its change, and the contributing effects among countries and regions of sub-Saharan Africa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T11:48:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0d4a85a804aa486eae1c3e3d08cc5873 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T11:48:42Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-0d4a85a804aa486eae1c3e3d08cc58732024-04-09T08:26:22ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262024-01-0119404406810.1088/1748-9326/ad376bSubstantial increase in population exposure to multiple environmental burdens in sub-Saharan Africa (2000-2019)Ankit Sikarwar0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9014-5921Valérie Golaz1Institut national d’études démographiques (Ined) , Paris-Aubervilliers, FranceInstitut national d’études démographiques (Ined) , Paris-Aubervilliers, France; LPED, Aix-Marseille Université , Marseille, FranceIn the face of increasing global environmental uncertainties, sub-Saharan Africa stands as a highly vulnerable region with a massive population marked with poverty and inequalities. Moreover, different environmental risk factors can coexist simultaneously as multiple environmental burdens (MEBs); however, population exposure to MEB remains unexamined. Here, using open-access spatial data and critical thresholds, we quantify population exposure to four key environmental risk factors: hazardous fine particulate matter (PM _2.5 ) levels, extreme temperature increase, prolonged severe droughts, and green deficit (scarcity of green trees). Further, we explore the concept of MEB, where these risk factors converge. We derive exposure for 2000 and 2019 at the pixel (1 km grid cell) level. We also check how population change, environmental change, and their interaction contribute to the total change in exposure. We found substantial changes in the population exposed from 2000 to 2019, i.e. an increase of ∼460 million people to hazardous PM _2.5 levels, ∼16 million to extreme temperature increase, ∼13 million to prolonged severe droughts, and ∼246 million to green deficit. Population exposure to at least three of these four environmental risk factors (3EB) has increased by ∼246 million. In this increase in exposure to 3EB, the contribution of environmental change is higher (48%), than that of interaction and population change (36% and 15%, respectively). Notably, there are striking disparities in population exposure, its change, and the contributing effects among countries and regions of sub-Saharan Africa.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad376bmultiple environmental burdenspopulation exposuresub-Saharan Africaclimate changeair pollution |
| spellingShingle | Ankit Sikarwar Valérie Golaz Substantial increase in population exposure to multiple environmental burdens in sub-Saharan Africa (2000-2019) Environmental Research Letters multiple environmental burdens population exposure sub-Saharan Africa climate change air pollution |
| title | Substantial increase in population exposure to multiple environmental burdens in sub-Saharan Africa (2000-2019) |
| title_full | Substantial increase in population exposure to multiple environmental burdens in sub-Saharan Africa (2000-2019) |
| title_fullStr | Substantial increase in population exposure to multiple environmental burdens in sub-Saharan Africa (2000-2019) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Substantial increase in population exposure to multiple environmental burdens in sub-Saharan Africa (2000-2019) |
| title_short | Substantial increase in population exposure to multiple environmental burdens in sub-Saharan Africa (2000-2019) |
| title_sort | substantial increase in population exposure to multiple environmental burdens in sub saharan africa 2000 2019 |
| topic | multiple environmental burdens population exposure sub-Saharan Africa climate change air pollution |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad376b |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ankitsikarwar substantialincreaseinpopulationexposuretomultipleenvironmentalburdensinsubsaharanafrica20002019 AT valeriegolaz substantialincreaseinpopulationexposuretomultipleenvironmentalburdensinsubsaharanafrica20002019 |