In 2020, the U.S. experienced unintended, temporary air quality improvements due to COVID-19 lockdowns. Two years since, do we see lasting effects, especially for non-white neighborhoods? We answer this question using a two-stage difference-in-differences design, which accounts for the staggered implementation of lockdowns. We find that by 2022, although some improvements in air quality have reverted, as expected. What’s unexpected is that there were places where air quality improvements persisted even without the lockdowns. However, this long-term effect was not the same everywhere – we find evidence of higher PM2.5 and AOD exposure for the non-white relative to white communities. While pollution increased in high traffic density and urban areas, there were no discernible differences in outcomes for minority tracts. The only exception was minority tracts near industrial pollution sources, where PM2.5 exposure levels rose. To advance environmental justice initiatives effectively, we must understand the evolving dynamics of air quality disparities and prioritize targeted interventions that address the unique challenges faced by these communities.

In some regions of South Asia, girls may face educational disadvantages due to traditional norms surrounding dowries. These dowries can be large payments made by the bride’s family to the groom’s family, and may make investing in girls’ education less attractive. However, I find that providing free primary education to girls from different ethnic groups with varying traditional marriage practices had different effects. Girls from dowry systems were less likely to finish primary schooling, while girls from bride price systems gained more years of schooling and were more likely to complete primary schooling. This highlights the importance of considering cultural differences in policy interventions to promote educational attainment for all girls.