Deprivation based inequality in NOx emissions in England

Abstract

Inequality in air pollution exposure is an established problem globally; this study evaluates inequality in NO_x emissions in England. NO_x is a class of air pollutants with a detrimental impact on human health. Emissions of NO_x in 2019 from the major source sectors across England were linked to deprivation data from the English Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) using Lower layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs). The median NO_x emissions in the most deprived decile of LSOAs was 16 tonnes per km² per year compared with 7.0 in the least deprived. A linear regression model to account for the whole dataset showed higher inequality, with emissions of 19 tonnes per km² per year NO_x for the most deprived decile and 7.3 for the least deprived. All major emission sources, such as transport, domestic combustion, point sources and industry showed deprivation-based inequality. Geographic classifications such as region, city and Rural Urban Classification were shown to have inequalities within them, and the differences between them were shown to drive national inequality. Inequalities in the distribution of NO_x emissions persisted at all levels of population density. Less densely populated, typically rural, areas had lower absolute emissions, but the highest emissions-based inequality due to point sources disproportionately affecting more deprived areas.