Promoting Environmental Justice Through Urban Green Space Access: A Synopsis

Abstract

This article reviews literature on the connection between urban green space access and environmental justice. It discusses the dynamics of the relationship as it relates to factors such as environmental quality, land use, and environmental health disparities. Urban development stresses the landscape and may compromise environmental quality. Since some communities are disproportionately impacted by changes in land use and land cover, understanding the environmental justice implications of changing the landscape is important. Likewise, the additive effects of degraded landscapes and decreased environmental quality have human health implications. The article covers information from a range of disciplines (e.g., urban ecology, sociology, public health, and environmental science) to address collective concerns related to green spaces and environmental justice. This article also articulates a gap in the literature related to empirical research on the subject.

Citation

Jennings, Viniece; Johnson Gaither, Cassandra; Schulterbrandt Gragg, Richard. 2012. Promoting Environmental Justice Through Urban Green Space Access: A Synopsis. Environmental Justice 5(1):1-7.