Washington, D.C. — A new analysis reveals the persistent inequality in access to nearby nature in the United States across race, ethnicity, and income levels.
The report from the Center for American Progress, Justice Outside, and Conservation Science Partners finds that communities of color are three times more likely than white communities to live in nature-deprived areas. At the same time, nearly 74 percent of people living in these nature-deprived areas have low household incomes, with 60 percent living below the poverty line.
The report dives into new national and state-by-state data, looking at how nature loss is connected to racial disparities, social vulnerabilities, public health issues, pollution, and climate risks across the contiguous United States. The nature gap is not experienced equally across all communities; those with limited access to nature also often face the greatest exposure to pollution sources and climate risks.
“These findings confirm that environmental racism is real, and it persists,” said Sam Zeno, senior policy analyst at CAP and co-author of the report. “Addressing the nature gap will require not only traditional conservation efforts but also direct confrontation of the systemic racism and economic and health inequities that create and perpetuate environmental injustices.”
“This data confirms what frontline communities have long known — that nature loss is not random, it is the result of centuries of policy choices rooted in discrimination,” said Kim Bailey, President and CEO of Justice Outside and co-author of the report. “The communities bearing the greatest burden are also the ones building the most powerful solutions. This report is an invitation to policymakers and funders to follow their lead and ensure access to nature is a right, not a privilege.”
Among the report’s findings are the following:
Race/Ethnicity:
- Across the United States, 74 percent of those living in nature-deprived places are communities of color, while just 26 percent are white communities.
- Nationwide, communities of color are three times more likely to live in nature-deprived areas than white communities.
- Among communities of color living in nature deprived places, 55 percent are Black, 54 percent are Latino, 44 percent are Asian, and 41 percent are Native American.
Income:
- Nearly 74 percent of nature-deprived communities have a low household income.
- Sixty percent of nature deprived communities are living below the poverty line.
- Seventy percent of nature deprived communities are comprised of households who experience severe housing cost burdens.
Homeownership:
- Renter-majority communities occupy 83 percent of all nature-deprived areas.
Rural:
- Seventy percent of white rural communities are nature deprived, compared with 30 percent of rural communities of color.
- In rural areas, places with an above average concentration of families with children constitute almost 60 percent of nature-deprived areas.
- Within rural areas, 65 percent of communities most exposed to agricultural pesticides have a low household income.
Pollution sources:
- Communities located nearest to pollution sources are almost twice as likely to be located in nature-deprived areas.
- Of the communities located in areas with both the greatest concentration of pollution sources and nature loss, 77 percent are communities of color and 75 percent are communities with a low household income.
Read the report: “The Nature Gap: Communities of Color and Those With Low Incomes Are Bearing the Brunt of America’s Nature Loss” by Sam Zeno, Mariam Rashid, Jenny Rowland-Shea, Kim Bailey, and Rena Payan
Read the fact sheet here.
About Justice Outside: Justice Outside is a national environmental justice organization advancing equity in outdoor and environmental movements. Through its power-building framework of trust-based grantmaking, advocacy, and field leadership, Justice Outside centers Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-led organizations to drive lasting environmental justice. Learn more at justiceoutside.org.
For more information, or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].