Wildfire Smoke from Canada Blankets the U.S. Midwest in Haze of Bad Air Quality – Scientific American

 

Transboundary Air Pollution from Canadian Wildfires: Impacts on U.S. Midwest and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

A report on the significant air quality degradation in the U.S. Midwest resulting from Canadian wildfire smoke, analyzed through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Environmental and Meteorological Analysis

Source and Trajectory of Pollutants

• Origin: Smoke originates from over 3,000 wildfires that have burned more than 22,000 square miles across Canada.
• Affected Regions: On August 1, northwesterly winds transported smoke into the U.S. Midwest, with Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois experiencing particularly poor air quality.
• Meteorological Conditions: A high-pressure air mass is contributing to low local wind speeds, trapping the hazy, smoke-filled air and preventing its dispersal.

Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The event directly undermines progress toward ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages.

• Health Hazard: The smoke is a primary source of PM_2.5, fine particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream.
• Adverse Health Outcomes: Exposure to PM_2.5 is linked to severe health issues, including respiratory diseases, cardiovascular conditions, and cancer, directly conflicting with Target 3.9 to reduce illnesses from air pollution.
• Vulnerable Populations: The very young, the elderly, and individuals with asthma, heart, or lung disease are at heightened risk, highlighting inequalities in health outcomes.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The incident highlights the vulnerability of urban areas to environmental hazards, challenging the goal of making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

• Urban Impact: Cities such as Minneapolis and Saint Paul are experiencing hazardous air quality, affecting the well-being of urban populations.
• Environmental Quality: This event is a direct challenge to Target 11.6, which aims to reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities by improving air quality.

SDG 13: Climate Action

The scale and transboundary nature of the wildfires underscore the urgent need for climate action.

• Climate-Related Hazard: The increased frequency and intensity of wildfires are recognized as a direct consequence of climate change.
• Resilience and Adaptation: This event exemplifies a climate-related natural disaster with cross-border impacts, stressing the importance of Target 13.1, which calls for strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to such hazards.

SDG 15: Life on Land

The wildfires represent a significant threat to terrestrial ecosystems.

• Forest Degradation: The destruction of vast forest areas in Canada is a major setback for Target 15.2, which promotes the sustainable management of forests and aims to halt deforestation.
• Ecosystem Loss: The fires contribute to land degradation and biodiversity loss, counteracting efforts to protect and restore life on land.

Public Health Recommendations and Monitoring

Air Quality Assessment

• Monitoring Tool: The public can monitor local conditions using the Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow website.
• Health Metric: The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a 500-point scale used to communicate health risks. An AQI above 150 is considered unhealthy for the general public, while an AQI above 50 poses a risk to sensitive groups.

Recommended Protective Actions

1. Limit outdoor activities and stay indoors with air purifiers running.
2. Wear a properly fitted N95 mask if outdoor exposure is necessary to filter fine particulates.
3. Continuously monitor local AQI reports to make informed decisions about exposure risk.

Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Based on the article, the following SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues of wildfire smoke and air pollution:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article extensively discusses the health risks associated with wildfire smoke, particularly the dangers of PM_2.5 particulate matter. It links exposure to respiratory issues, cardiovascular conditions, metabolic conditions, and cancer, directly connecting to the goal of ensuring healthy lives.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The focus of the article is on the impact of wildfire smoke on air quality in populated areas, including cities like Minneapolis and Saint Paul and states such as Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois. This relates to the goal of making cities and human settlements safe, resilient, and sustainable, with a particular focus on environmental quality.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: While not explicitly mentioning “climate change,” the article discusses large-scale wildfires, which are recognized as a significant climate-related hazard. The reference to living in the “Pyrocene” in a linked article reinforces this connection. The transboundary nature of the smoke highlights the need for collective action on climate-related disasters.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The root cause of the air pollution discussed is the massive wildfires burning across Canada. The article states that “more than 3,000 fires burn more than 22,000 square miles,” which represents a significant degradation of forests and terrestrial ecosystems, directly relevant to the goal of protecting and restoring life on land.

Specific SDG Targets

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.
  • Explanation: The article directly supports this target by identifying wildfire smoke as a source of hazardous air pollution (PM_2.5) and explicitly stating that “Exposure to PM_2.5 pollution has been linked to respiratory issues but also cardiovascular and metabolic conditions and cancer.”

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
  • Explanation: The article’s central theme is the worsening air quality in U.S. Midwest cities and regions due to an external environmental event. It highlights the vulnerability of urban populations to air pollution, which is a key concern of this target.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
  • Explanation: The wildfires are a natural disaster, and the article discusses measures to cope with their impact, such as monitoring air quality through the AirNow website and the Air Quality Index (AQI), issuing “air quality alerts,” and advising protective actions like using air filters and N95 masks. These are all examples of building resilience and adaptive capacity.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.
  • Explanation: The article quantifies the extent of land degradation caused by the fires, noting that “more than 22,000 square miles” of Canadian forests have burned. This directly relates to the goal of combating land degradation.

Implied or Mentioned Indicators

Indicators for SDG 3 and SDG 11

• Indicator 11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) in cities (population weighted).
  • Explanation: The article explicitly identifies “a type of air pollution called PM_2.5” as the primary concern. It also mentions the Air Quality Index (AQI), which is a tool used to communicate the concentration of pollutants like PM_2.5 to the public. The AQI values mentioned (e.g., above 150 or 200) are direct proxies for the level of fine particulate matter. This indicator is also relevant to Target 3.9, as PM_2.5 levels are used to assess health risks from air pollution.

Indicators for SDG 15

• Indicator 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area.
  • Explanation: The article provides a direct quantitative measure of land degradation by stating that fires have burned “more than 22,000 square miles” in Canada. This figure is a direct measurement of land area affected by a degradation process (fire).

SDGs, Targets and Indicators Table

SDGs	Targets	Indicators
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being	Target 3.9: Substantially reduce deaths and illnesses from air pollution.	Implied Indicator (related to 3.9.1): Measurement of air pollution levels via the Air Quality Index (AQI) and identification of specific health risks (respiratory, cardiovascular, cancer) from PM2.5.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities	Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, paying special attention to air quality.	Indicator 11.6.2: The article explicitly mentions “PM2.5” (fine particulate matter) and the “Air Quality Index” used to measure its concentration in affected regions and cities.
SDG 13: Climate Action	Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.	Implied Indicator: The article describes elements of resilience and adaptation, such as the use of satellite imagery for monitoring, public information systems (AirNow website, air quality alerts), and protective health measures (N95 masks, air filters).
SDG 15: Life on Land	Target 15.3: Combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil.	Indicator 15.3.1: The article provides a direct measure of land degradation by stating that “more than 22,000 square miles” of forest have burned.

Source: scientificamerican.com