Doctoral defence: Usha Dahal “Health and well-being inequalities in industrially contaminated sites: The case of Ida-Viru County in Estonia”

On 17 December at 14:15 Usha Dahal will defend her doctoral thesis “Health and well-being inequalities in industrially contaminated sites: The case of Ida-Viru County in Estonia” for obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in Sociology).

Supervisors:

Associate Professor Kati Orru, University of Tartu
Professor Hans Orru, University of Tartu
Dr Erik Teinemaa, Estonian Environmental Research Centre

Opponent: 

Associate Professor Kris Bachus, University of Antwerp (Belgium)

Summary

While fossil fuels provide economic benefits, they impose significant environmental and health burdens on industrial regions dependent on them. The European Green Deal aims to reduce the environmental and health impacts of these industries. However, the accompanying transition process may threaten the socio-economic well-being of local communities. This doctoral thesis investigates the impact of industrial pollution and social inequality on birth outcomes in Ida-Virumaa and systematically analyses the effects of energy transition on human well-being and health.

The research findings indicate an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes, such as low birth weight and preterm birth, for mothers living near oil shale industries. The analysis of live births showed that this risk is particularly higher among Russian-speaking mothers across Estonia. Health disparities between Ida-Virumaa and other regions of Estonia were linked to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) air pollution, as well as lower maternal education levels and higher maternal age.

A system-based analysis of the energy transition in Ida-Virumaa reveals that, despite its positive environmental impact, adaptation to this change is hindered by the region’s long-standing socio-economic, educational, and health inequalities, along with entrenched cultural norms. In conditions of weakened civil society organizations, business, and administrative environments, the abandonment of the oil shale industry may exacerbate social inequality, which in turn negatively affects the physical and mental health and health behaviors of local residents.

Adapting to the transition of the oil shale industry requires more than just the reorientation of workers and businesses. Interventions supporting various levels of energy, health, and well-being systems are necessary. Future studies on just transition should analyse the impacts of both environmental factors and social inequality on the health and well-being of residents throughout their life course.