Environmental justice stands at the intersection of the sciences and humanities, extrapolating data to consider how marginalized communities are affected in order to propose solutions. In the ever worsening climate, are some places and groups more vulnerable than others? As it turns out, Richmond–where a history of segregation and redlining contribute to the modern socioeconomic and racial divisions of the city–is an insightful place to conduct studies like this.

In 1927, designated districts of Richmond were reserved for single-family homes, effectively pushing the lower class out of certain areas. This also ended up separating the city racially, as class and race were extremely correlated. In later decades, redlining was adopted. Redlining is the systematic denial of services such as mortgages to areas deemed “risky” and was used as a means to discriminate against Black people, keeping them unable to move out of a designated area. This led to Richmond becoming a city divided between the rich and poor and black and white.

The phenomenon of urban heat islands is when urban centers, on average, experience higher temperatures than the rural areas surrounding them. This should be no surprise—cities are more developed, leading to fewer green spaces that would otherwise counter the rising heat. The amount of energy needed to support the vast number of people in such a small vicinity also contributes to the increasing temperatures. However, the urban heat island effect can be seen on a smaller scale, with certain parts of the city getting significantly hotter than others. These parts tend to follow a concerning trend.

In 2017, volunteers coordinated by the Science Museum of Virginia made over 60,000 measurements around the Richmond area during the hottest days of the year, and they found that the largest difference in temperatures within the city was over 16 degrees. More specifically, areas of Richmond which are historically home to low-income and marginalized groups tend to be exceedingly hotter compared to wealthier areas of residence. The hottest regions in Richmond were Scott’s Addition, Manchester, and Church Hill. The group of scientists who led this study compared the temperature data to statistics that included physical attributes, such as canopy cover, and demographic information, such as median household income. The six variables which tested at the highest significance were percent impervious surface, percent canopy cover, percent of the block that was historically redlined Category C or D (zoning categories typically assigned to impoverished black neighborhoods), percent who drove alone to work, percent below poverty level, and median household income. Many of these variables suggest a very strong link between wealth and heat risks. The study was repeated four years later in 2021 and similar results were found. Some may argue that the correlation is just pure coincidence. To disprove this critique, one of the lead scientists in the study, Dr. Jeremy Hoffman, collaborated with scientists around the country to collect temperature data in 108 metropolitan areas. In 94 percent of urban centers, districts that had been redlined were hotter than their non-redlined counterparts.

Why does this matter? So what if certain areas of the city are a few degrees hotter than others? Well, the imposing threat of climate change is subtle. It only takes a slight change in temperature to affect the delicate balance of ecosystems. Adding to that, the rising temperatures will eventually become untenable and people will be at risk. Peter Braun, a health policy analyst for the Richmond and Henrico districts, noted that the people who suffer from heat-related illnesses are disproportionately Black. He also stated how cooling locations are not spread evenly throughout the city, and it's the areas which are the hottest that often don’t have easily accessible cooling centers. These inequalities are a direct result of the historical discrimination against marginalized groups, pushing them into undesirable areas and refusing them access to resources. Over time, these districts grew hotter from the lack of green spaces and public transportation, amongst other factors. Hopefully, these studies will help increase awareness and pave the way for progress to be made in these areas that are often overlooked.

Information retrieved from Science Museum of Virginia, VPM News, Sustainability Journal, and Climate Journal.