Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faculty Publications Article Faculty Publications -Articles Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Roy, Chandan Title A name given to the resource Environmental justice and rural poverty: Socioeconomic drivers of environmental impact in the Indian Sundarbans Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 01-01-2026 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association;Volume;76;Issue;2;pp.137-148 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2025.2587009" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2025.2587009</a> <br /><br /><a href="https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105024686959?origin=resultslist" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105024686959?origin=resultslist</a> Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Roy C., Department of Economics, Christ University, Bangalore, India Description An account of the resource This study explores the complex relationship between environmental degradation and rural poverty through the perspective of environmental justice in the Indian Sundarbans. This region is recognized for its ecological richness but faces significant socio-economic vulnerabilities. Despite the areas abundant natural resources and biodiversity, rural poverty persists, shaping resource use patterns and environmental outcomes. The main objective is to examine how rural poverty affects the environment and to identify key socio-economic factors influencing ecosystem services in the region. A stratified sampling technique was used to select households and data were collected through structured questionnaires and focus group discussions. Household-level CO2 emissions were estimated from domestic fuel and energy consumption. Results show nearly half of the household emissions come from burning firewood for cooking and heating. These practices not only release stored carbon but also reduce the regions carbon removal capacity, directly contributing to environmental degradation. The people of the Sundarbans pollute far less than the national average, but they face the harshest impacts of climate change: rising sea levels, salinity intrusion and ecosystem decline that highlighting a profound environmental injustice. Among rural households, the extremely poor emit more CO2 than the less poor because they depend on cutting trees to survive, further weakening the regions natural carbon sink. A log-linear regression model identifies education, dependency ratio, livelihood diversification and access to transport as major factors influencing natural resource-based income. The findings suggest that poverty, isolation and low education reinforce ecological stress, forming a povertyenvironment trap. This study argues that protecting the Sundarbans environmental integrity and enhancing its carbon sequestration potential are inseparable from improving human well-being. Achieving Indias net-zero target by 2070 requires policies that expand clean energy access, build human capabilities and ensure justice for communities who contribute least to emissions but suffer the most from climate disruption. Implications: This study emphasizes the urgent need to integrate poverty alleviation with environmental sustainability in climate-vulnerable regions like the Indian Sundarbans. Rural poverty contributes to environmental degradation by increasing dependence on forest resources, leading to unsustainable practices and higher CO? emissions. Low education levels, limited livelihood opportunities and inadequate infrastructure intensify both poverty and ecological stress. To tackle environmental degradation, it is essential to implement conservation efforts alongside interventions that improve education, enhance connectivity, diversify livelihoods and strengthen social protection. Aligning environmental justice with rural development can break the cycle of poverty and ecological damage, promoting long-term resilience and sustainability. 2025 Air &amp; Waste Management Association. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Taylor and Francis Ltd. Relation A related resource ISSN: 10962247; CODEN: JIJME Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Article Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource online