A study examines the environmental and social equity gains tied to increases in job accessibility. Increasing the accessibility of jobs can potentially reduce both carbon emissions and social inequities in urban areas. However, job accessibility increases do not always result in lowered emissions and improved equity, and potential tradeoffs between equity and emissions outcomes resulting from accessibility changes have not been explored. Eleanor Stokes and Karen Seto measured changes in job accessibility between 2002 and 2014 for metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas in the contiguous United States. The authors characterized the changes based on why accessibility changed and who benefitted from the change. The authors found that job accessibility by car (JAC) increased by 11% on average, but with considerable heterogeneity concerning the potential emissions impacts. Job accessibility by subway (JAS) doubled, and job accessibility by bus (JAB) increased by 30%. However, for low-income residents, gains in JAC lagged behind those for the general population, and JAS and JAB decreased, thereby exacerbating social inequities. Few urban areas, comprising 2% of the US population, improved accessibility in ways that could reduce both emissions and inequity. The results suggest that land use configuration and transport infrastructure changes in most US metropolitan areas have resulted in tradeoffs between social and environmental sustainability. According to the authors, the study also identifies conditions necessary to create favorable social and environmental outcomes.
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Article #18-07563: "Tradeoffs in environmental and equity gains from job accessibility," by Eleanor C. Stokes and Karen C. Seto.
MEDIA CONTACT: Eleanor C. Stokes, Yale University, New Haven, CT; tel: 617-833-0564; e-mail: eleanor.stokes@yale.edu
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences