Measuring environmental inequality

James K. Boyce, Klara Zwickl and Michael Ash

Ecological Economics, 2016, vol. 124, issue C, 114-123

Abstract: This study presents alternative measures of environmental inequality in the 50 U.S. states for exposure to industrial air pollution. We examine three methodological issues. First, to what extent are environmental inequality measures sensitive to spatial scale and population weighting? Second, how do sensitivities to different segments of the overall distribution affect rankings by these measures? Third, how do vertical and horizontal (inter-group) inequality measures relate to each other? We find substantive differences in rankings by different measures and conclude that no single indicator is sufficient for addressing the entire range of equity concerns that are relevant to environmental policy; instead multiple measures are needed.

Keywords: Inequality measurement; Gini coefficient; Environmental justice; Air pollution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I14 Q53 Q56 R11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (42)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:124:y:2016:i:c:p:114-123

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.01.014

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