One-two punch of wildfire smoke is wrecking air quality in the US – CNN

 

Wildfire-Induced Air Quality Crisis: A Threat to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A significant decline in air quality across the United States, resulting from extensive wildfires in both Canada and the western U.S., poses a direct challenge to several key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The widespread smoke has triggered health alerts for millions and highlights the interconnectedness of climate change, public health, and ecosystem stability. This report details the scope of the crisis and its implications for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being Under Siege

Widespread Health Advisories and Air Quality Degradation

The immediate impact of the wildfire smoke is a severe public health concern, directly undermining the objectives of SDG 3. Air quality alerts have been issued for millions of people across 11 states in the Midwest and Northeast, with vulnerable populations being most at risk.

• Affected Regions: Midwest, Northeast, and Western United States.
• Urban Impact: Major cities have experienced hazardous air quality levels. On Monday, Detroit registered the third-worst air quality globally, while on Wednesday, Chicago and Detroit ranked fourth and eighth, respectively.
• Vulnerable Groups: The health of children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions is significantly threatened.

Critical Health Risks from PM2.5 Pollutants

Wildfire smoke contains hazardous PM2.5 particulate matter, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, leading to severe health complications.

1. Inhalation Dangers: These minuscule particles can cause immediate issues like bronchitis.
2. Systemic Inflammation: Inhalation can aggravate chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
3. Long-Term Exposure: Persistent exposure to such pollutants is a long-term threat to public health and well-being.

SDG 11 & SDG 15: Impacts on Communities and Terrestrial Ecosystems

Threats to Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)

The crisis extends beyond health, affecting the safety and sustainability of human settlements. Smoke from the Gifford Fire in California caused air quality in the Las Vegas area to reach its worst levels since February 2023. Furthermore, evacuation orders were issued in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, disrupting community stability and safety, which are central tenets of SDG 11.

Devastation of Life on Land (SDG 15)

The wildfires are causing massive destruction to forests and ecosystems, a direct setback for SDG 15. The scale of the fires is immense, with hundreds of uncontrolled blazes burning across North America.

• Canadian Wildfires: Over 500 out-of-control wildfires are currently burning, with more than 160 in Manitoba and nearly 130 in British Columbia.
• Gifford Fire (California): Now the state’s largest fire of the year, it has consumed nearly 84,000 acres and remains only 9% contained.
• Dragon Bravo Fire (Arizona): This megafire on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon has destroyed dozens of structures, including a historic lodge.
• Monroe Canyon Fire (Utah): The state’s largest fire this year has burned over 63,000 acres and has been intense enough to create its own weather patterns.

SDG 13: The Imperative for Climate Action

Climate Change as a Driving Factor

The report underscores that the increasing frequency and intensity of these wildfires are linked to climate change, driven by fossil fuel pollution. This situation serves as a critical indicator of the urgent need for comprehensive climate action as outlined in SDG 13.

• Worsening Conditions: Climate change is creating more frequent instances of the dry, windy weather that fuels wildfires.
• Increased Intensity: The most extreme wildfires in North America are becoming more intense, leading to greater smoke production and wider impacts.
• Weather Amplification: Atmospheric conditions, such as high-pressure systems, have trapped smoke over large regions, prolonging the air quality crisis.

Outlook and Conclusion

The U.S. wildfire season is far from over, with forecasts indicating that the West will remain a major hot spot through at least September. The ongoing crisis demonstrates that failure to advance SDG 13 (Climate Action) directly jeopardizes progress on SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). Addressing the root causes of climate change is therefore essential to mitigating these interconnected environmental, health, and social challenges.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The article extensively discusses the negative health impacts of wildfire smoke on human populations. It states that “Air quality alerts are in effect Wednesday for millions of people” and highlights that smoke is a “significant health concern, especially for people with breathing issues, children and the elderly.” The text specifies that wildfire smoke contains “very dangerous, tiny pollutants called PM2.5” which can “lead to breathing problems like bronchitis and cause inflammation that aggravates diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions,” directly linking air pollution from wildfires to human health and well-being.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The article connects the issue of wildfire smoke directly to urban areas, demonstrating the vulnerability of cities to environmental hazards. It reports that “Air quality has taken a serious hit across the United States” and provides specific examples of cities affected, such as Detroit, which “had the third-worst air quality out of any global major city on Monday,” and Chicago, which had the “fourth-worst air quality.” This focus on the deteriorating air quality within major cities makes SDG 11 highly relevant.

SDG 13: Climate Action

The article explicitly links the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires to climate change. It states that the weather conditions fueling wildfires are occurring “more frequently in parts of Canada and the US as the world continues to warm due to fossil fuel pollution.” It also notes that “the most extreme wildfires in North America are getting more intense,” positioning the wildfires as a direct consequence of climate change and underscoring the need for climate action.

SDG 15: Life on Land

The core issue of the article is the widespread wildfires that are destroying terrestrial ecosystems. It details the scale of the destruction, mentioning “more than 500 out-of-control wildfires in Canada” and specific large fires in the US, such as California’s Gifford Fire, which “burned through nearly 84,000 acres,” and Utah’s Monroe Canyon Fire, which “burned through more than 63,000 acres.” This large-scale burning of forests and land represents a significant degradation of terrestrial ecosystems, directly aligning with the goals of SDG 15.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

1. Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The article’s focus on the health risks from “very dangerous, tiny pollutants called PM2.5” and the resulting “breathing problems like bronchitis” and aggravation of “diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions” directly relates to this target of reducing illnesses from air pollution.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

1. Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality. The article highlights how wildfire smoke has “cratered air quality” in cities like Las Vegas and led to Detroit and Chicago having some of the “worst air quality” globally. This directly addresses the need to manage and improve urban air quality as specified in this target.

SDG 13: Climate Action

1. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The article presents the wildfires as climate-related natural disasters that are becoming “more frequent” and “more intense” due to global warming. The widespread impact, from evacuations to cross-country smoke, demonstrates a clear need to strengthen resilience against such events.

SDG 15: Life on Land

1. Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by…drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world. The article’s description of fires burning through tens of thousands of acres (e.g., “nearly 84,000 acres” in California) is a direct account of large-scale land degradation. This target is relevant as it addresses the need to combat and restore land degraded by such disasters.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Indicator 11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5) in cities (population weighted). The article explicitly mentions that “Wildfire smoke contains very dangerous, tiny pollutants called PM2.5.” It also refers to air quality monitoring data from “IQAir, a company that tracks global air quality,” and the “Environmental Protection Agency,” which use PM2.5 levels to determine air quality rankings like “unhealthy or Level 4 of 6.” This directly implies the use of this indicator to measure urban air pollution.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• Indicator 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area. The article provides specific quantitative data on the extent of land degradation caused by the fires. It states that the Gifford Fire “burned through nearly 84,000 acres” and the Monroe Canyon Fire “burned through more than 63,000 acres.” This measurement of acreage burned is a direct measure of land degradation, which is the basis for this indicator.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

SDGs	Targets	Indicators
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being	3.9: Substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.	The article implies the measurement of health impacts (e.g., incidence of bronchitis, aggravation of heart disease) linked to air pollution events.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities	11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality.	11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5) in cities. (Implied by mentions of PM2.5 pollutants, air quality rankings, and data from IQAir and the EPA).
SDG 13: Climate Action	13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.	The article implies indicators related to the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, mentioning that wildfires are becoming “more frequent” and “more intense.”
SDG 15: Life on Land	15.3: Combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil…and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.	15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area. (Directly measured by the article’s reporting of acreage burned, such as “nearly 84,000 acres” and “more than 63,000 acres”).

Source: cnn.com