Building Environmental Health Equity in Georgia: Clean Air, Climate Resilience, and Food Access for All
Research for post done by our Global Health Equity and Community Impact Intern Miraflore Ndifon
Environmental health equity in Georgia reflects deep structural inequalities. Who breathes clean air, who has access to health food, and who can adapt to climate-related challenges often depends on race, income, and geography. Across the state, environmental challenges— from asthma hotspots tied to poor air quality in Atlanta to drought-prone rural counties— show how place and privilege continue to shape health outcomes.
Building a fair and sustainable future for Georgia means investing in clean air, climate resilience, and equitable food access that protect every community, urban and rural alike. By addressing these disparities head-on, Georgia can move toward true environmental health equity, one that gives every resident the opportunity to live in a healthy, resilient environment.
Breathing Unequal Air: Asthma and Air Quality in Atlanta
The Public Health Significance
Asthma affects roughly 9 percent of adults and 12 percent of children in Georgia, but the impact is far from equal. In metro Atlanta, the burden falls disproportionately on Black low-income neighborhoods near major highways and industrial corridors. These communities face significantly higher rates of asthma-related hospitalizations and emergency visits than wealthier suburban areas, an example of how environmental health inequities in Georgia continue to shape public health outcomes.
According to the American Lung Association’s 2024 report, Atlanta ranks among the most ozone-polluted cities in the nation. Vehicle emissions, industrial output, and construction activity contribute to harmful levels of particulate matter (PM2.5), while rising temperatures from climate change extend the ozone season and intensify respiratory health risks. Improving air quality in Atlanta is essential to advancing environmental health equity and protecting vulnerable communities across the state.
Environmental Justice and Disproportionate Impact
Neighborhoods near the I-75/85 Downtown Connector and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have consistently high levels of air pollution, highlighting the ongoing environmental justice concerns. These areas also have fewer trees and green spaces, making them hotter and more vulnerable to ozone exposure.
Children in these communities face the greatest risks because their lungs are still developing, and they spend more time outdoors. Tackling these environmental inequalities is crucial to promoting cleaner air and advancing environmental health equity in Georgia.
Mapping and Targeted Solutions
By combining data from EPA’s EnviroAtlas, CDC’s PLACES and AirNow, public health officials can identify and prioritize “high-burden” zones for intervention. In efforts to advance environmental health equity in Georgia, this mapping approach highlights where resources are needed most. Southwest Atlanta, East Point, and Southern DeKalb County consistently shows asthma prevalence above 12 percent and frequent unhealthy air quality days in Atlanta.
Police and Practice Recommendations
School Coordination : Integrate air quality data into daily school planning and send families real-time air quality alerts to reduce exposure on high-risk days.
Urban Greening: Expand tree planting in high-heat, high-pollution areas to lower surface temperatures and filter the air.
Transportation Reform: Enforce anti-idling rules near schools, convert municipal fleets to electric vehicles, and improve public transit options to reduce emissions.
Mobile Asthma Clinics: Provide in-home assessments, distribute HEPA filters, and offer education on asthma management.
Cleaner and stronger environmental policies can protect vulnerable families and advance environmental health equity in Georgia. Together, these measures can build healthier, more resilient communities across Atlanta and beyond.
Strengthening Rural Resilience: Preparing Georgia’s Communities for Climate Change
Rural Climate Vulnerability
Rural Georgia faces growing threats from heat waves, floods, and droughts that test the state’s overall climate resilience. Many rural counties lack hospitals equipped for climate-related illness and have limited emergency services, unreliable power, and poor broadband access. These factors increase risk and reduce recovery capacity during extreme weather events, deepening disparities in rural health and highlighting the need for stronger environmental health equity in Georgia.
A Framework for Local Action: The BRACE Model
The CDC’s Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework provides a roadmap for local health departments to anticipate and respond to climate hazards. It involves assessing risks, planning interventions, implementing programs, and tracking progress.
Key Actions for Resilient Rural Health
Risk Assessment: Use data to identify high-risk populations such as outdoor workers, older adults, and those with chronic diseases.
Heat and Air Quality Protection: Establish community cooling centers and distribute air purifiers and N95 masks during poor air quality days.
Water and Food Security: Promote drought-resistant crops, rainwater harvesting, and local community gardens.
Preparedness Infrastructure: Install backup power at healthcare facilities and shelters, and create text-based alert systems in multiple languages.
Funding and Workforce Development: Use FEMA BRIC grants and USDA Climate Hubs to fund projects, and train rural health workers to manage heat, asthma, and vector-borne illnesses.
Building resilience in rural Georgia means investing in local leadership, sustainable infrastructure, and the capacity to adapt to a changing climate.
Food Access and Health Equity: Ending Georgia’s Food deserts
Mapping Food Insecurity
Large sections of both rural and urban Georgia are considered “low-income, low-access” areas, where residents live far from grocery stores and lack reliable transportation. In Atlanta, food deserts are concentrated in historically redlined neighborhoods such as Mechanicsville, Pittsburgh, and Southwest Atlanta, illustrating persistent challenges in food access across Georgia. Rural counties like Dooly and Clay also face severe access challenges.
Policy Interventions for Food Equity
Healthy Food Financing: Use grants and low-interest loans to help small grocers and corner stores stock fresh produce.
Double-Up SNAP Programs: Match SNAP dollars spent on fruits and vegetables to make healthy food more affordable.
Mobile Markets: Bring fresh produce directly into underserved neighborhoods through traveling grocery trucks.
Transit and Zoning Reform: Create transit routes that connect low-income neighborhoods to grocery stores and simplify permits for farmers markets and urban gardens.
Access to health food is fundamental to both physical and mental health. Investing in food infrastructure means investing in prevention, resilience, and community well-being.
Integrating Air, Climate, and Food Policy
Environmental health issues rarely exist in isolation. Poor air quality, food insecurity, and rising temperatures are interconnected challenges that require coordinated solutions.
Georgia can strengthen climate resilience and advance environmental health equity by:
Linking asthma data with food access maps to direct investments into high-need areas.
Combining mobile health clinics with nutrition education and asthma care.
Pairing urban tree planting with the creation of community gardens to strengthen neighborhood resilience.
When agencies collaborate, share data, and align goals, local governments can transform fragmented policies into sustainable, community-driven solutions that advance environmental health equity in Georgia.
Measuring Progress and Ensuring Accountability
Progress should be tracked through a State Environmental Health Dashboard that measures:
Air quality (ozone and PM2.5 levels)
Asthma hospitalizations
Food access by neighborhoods
Heat-related illnesses
Use of cooling centers and farmers markets
Data should be broken down by race, income, and geography to ensure that improvements reach those who need them most. Community members must also be involved in defining success and holding agencies accountable for results.
Conclusion
Environmental health inequities in Georgia are rooted in who has access to clean air, safe housing, and nutritious food. Asthma clusters in Atlanta, fragile rural infrastructure, and widespread food insecurity all point to the same truth: health and environment are inseparable.
Creating a healthier future for Georgia will require policies that connect clean air, climate resilience, and equitable food access. With local partnerships, strong data systems, and sustained funding, the state can build communities that are both healthier and more resilient, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Environmental health starts with community action.
Contact your local leaders to support policies that promote clean air, climate resilience, and food access for all. Check out our socials to stay up-to-date and learn how you can get involved in building a healthier, cleaner Georgia for everyone.
Resources
AirNow. (2023). Air Quality Index (AQI) and Data Resources. https://www.airnow.gov
American Lung Association. (2024). State of the Air 2024. https://www.lung.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) Framework. https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/BRACE
City of Atlanta. (2023). Tree Equity Score Initiative. https://www.atlantaga.gov
Environmental Protection Agency. (2023). EnviroAtlas: Environmental Indicators. https://www.epa.gov/enviroatlas
Fair Food Network. (2022). Double Up Food Bucks Evaluation Report. https://www.fairfoodnetwork.org
Georgia Department of Public Health. (2024). County Health Rankings: Environmental Health Indicators. https://dph.georgia.gov
The Reinvestment Fund. (2020). Healthy Food Financing Initiative: Outcomes Report. https://www.reinvestment.com
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit. (2023). Community Adaptation Resources. https://toolkit.climate.gov
U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2023). Food Access Research Atlas. https://www.ers.usda.gov
U.S. Department of Agriculture Climate Hubs. (2023). Climate Adaptation Resources for Agriculture. https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov
