Historical redlining and environmental (in)justices: A scoping review of
access to green space and exposure to urban heat and air pollution
Abstract
Redlining, a historically discriminatory mortgage lending practice, has
recently gained attention as a potential cause of public health
disparities. However, no study has attempted to synthesize the growing
body of research linking redlining to present-day inequalities in access
to green space and corresponding environmental health risks. This
scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive summary that identifies
key characteristics (data, methods, outcomes) and knowledge gaps of
current studies exploring the impact of redlining on disproportionate
exposure to environmental goods and harms. Using PRISMA guidelines, 21
peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2023 met inclusion
criteria. Across included studies, we identified a variety of different
study designs (e.g., cross-sectional, longitudinal), outcomes (green
space disparity, environmental health inequalities), measures of
greenspace (e.g., tree canopy, tree size, NDVI), and environmental
health risks (air pollution, extreme heat). The results of this scoping
review show that historically redlined neighborhoods have less green
space and face greater environmental health risks compared to
non-redlined neighborhoods. Although green space and large or mature
trees remains scarce in redlined neighborhoods compared to non-redlined
neighborhoods, studies show that redlined neighborhoods exhibit a more
noticeable increase in tree canopy over time and a higher presence of
smaller trees. Disproportionate exposure to air pollution and heat
underscores the need for green space planning in redlined neighborhoods
that addresses these environmental burdens. Future redlining studies
should incorporate additional dimensions of environmental justice,
including procedural and recognition justice, to understand the
underlying factors perpetuating distributive injustices and identify
potential solutions to these health challenges.