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Nature inequity and higher COVID-19 case rates in less-green neighbourhoods in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Erica N. Spotswood

    (San Francisco Estuary Institute)

  • Matthew Benjamin

    (San Francisco Estuary Institute)

  • Lauren Stoneburner

    (San Francisco Estuary Institute)

  • Megan M. Wheeler

    (San Francisco Estuary Institute)

  • Erin E. Beller

    (Google)

  • Deborah Balk

    (City University of New York (CUNY)
    Marxe School of Public & International Affairs, Baruch College, CUNY)

  • Timon McPhearson

    (The New School
    Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
    Stockholm University)

  • Ming Kuo

    (University of Illinois)

  • Robert I. McDonald

    (City University of New York (CUNY)
    The Nature Conservancy)

Abstract

Urban nature—such as greenness and parks—can alleviate distress and provide space for safe recreation during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, nature is often less available in low-income populations and communities of colour—the same communities hardest hit by COVID-19. In analyses of two datasets, we quantified inequity in greenness and park proximity across all urbanized areas in the United States and linked greenness and park access to COVID-19 case rates for ZIP codes in 17 states. Areas with majority persons of colour had both higher case rates and less greenness. Furthermore, when controlling for sociodemographic variables, an increase of 0.1 in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index was associated with a 4.1% decrease in COVID-19 incidence rates (95% confidence interval: 0.9–6.8%). Across the United States, block groups with lower income and majority persons of colour are less green and have fewer parks. Our results demonstrate that the communities most impacted by COVID-19 also have the least nature nearby. Given that urban nature is associated with both human health and biodiversity, these results have far-reaching implications both during and beyond the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Erica N. Spotswood & Matthew Benjamin & Lauren Stoneburner & Megan M. Wheeler & Erin E. Beller & Deborah Balk & Timon McPhearson & Ming Kuo & Robert I. McDonald, 2021. "Nature inequity and higher COVID-19 case rates in less-green neighbourhoods in the United States," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(12), pages 1092-1098, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:4:y:2021:i:12:d:10.1038_s41893-021-00781-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-021-00781-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Laura Montenovo & Xuan Jiang & Felipe Lozano Rojas & Ian M. Schmutte & Kosali I. Simon & Bruce A. Weinberg & Coady Wing, 2020. "Determinants of Disparities in Covid-19 Job Losses," NBER Working Papers 27132, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hannah Burnett & Jonathan R. Olsen & Richard Mitchell, 2022. "Green Space Visits and Barriers to Visiting during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Wave Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study of UK Adults," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Olaf Mumm & Ryan Zeringue & Nannan Dong & Vanessa Miriam Carlow, 2022. "Green Densities: Accessible Green Spaces in Highly Dense Urban Regions—A Comparison of Berlin and Qingdao," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-22, February.
    3. Carolina Mayen Huerta & Ariane Utomo, 2022. "Barriers Affecting Women’s Access to Urban Green Spaces during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, April.
    4. Liang, Huilin & Yan, Yujia & Yan, Qi & Zhang, Qingping, 2024. "Development of green space provision for housing estates at metropolitan scale: A spatiotemporal assessment of proximity in a rapidly urbanizing Chinese city during the last 10 years," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    5. Zhou, Liang & Gong, Yangchun & López-Carr, David & Huang, Chunlin, 2024. "A critical role of the capital green belt in constraining urban sprawl and its fragmentation measurement," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    6. Bin Chen & Shengbiao Wu & Yimeng Song & Chris Webster & Bing Xu & Peng Gong, 2022. "Contrasting inequality in human exposure to greenspace between cities of Global North and Global South," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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