exploring the social dimension of community resilience against air pollution: assessment and system thinking in tehran’s district six

Urban air pollution is a major environmental challenge that poses serious threats to public health and the resilience of urban communities. traditional assessment approaches often overlook the complex interactions within urban systems and their long-term consequences. this study focuses on tehran’s district 6, aiming to evaluate the relationship between air pollution and urban resilience, particularly among vulnerable social groups. a structured quantitative and spatial analysis was conducted using air quality data from the year 2024. the analysis focused on key pollutants including nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone. these data were integrated with sentinel-5p satellite imagery through a geographic information system to assess spatial distribution patterns. social and demographic indicators such as population, population density, number of households, and vulnerability of specific groups were overlaid to identify zones of increased exposure. the results showed that pollution levels in district 6 frequently surpassed acceptable thresholds, especially in densely populated areas. high-risk zones were identified where vulnerable populations including children, the elderly, and women of reproductive age face elevated exposure. these patterns suggest significant disparities in how environmental risks affect different social groups, raising concerns about social resilience in the face of persistent air pollution. while the study reveals important insights into the spatial and social dimensions of air pollution, it also highlights the complexity of assessing urban resilience. future research should adopt a multidimensional framework that reflects the unique social, environmental, and institutional context of each urban area. moreover, integrating economic tools such as cost-benefit analysis is essential for evaluating the feasibility and impact of policy responses.