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An Environmental Justice Analysis of British Air Quality

Author

Listed:
  • Gordon Mitchell

    (School of Geography and Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, England)

  • Danny Dorling

    (School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, England)

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the first national study of air quality in Britain to consider the implications of its distribution across over ten thousand local communities in terms of potential environmental injustice. We consider the recent history of the environmental justice debate in Britain, Europe, and the USA and, in the light of this, estimate how one aspect of air pollution, nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) levels, affects different population groups differentially across Britain. We also estimate the extent to which people living in each community in Britain contribute towards this pollution, with the aid of information on the characteristics of the vehicles they own. We find that, although community NO x emission and ambient NO 2 concentration are strongly related, the communities that have access to fewest cars tend to suffer from the highest levels of air pollution, whereas those in which car ownership is greatest enjoy the cleanest air. Pollution is most concentrated in areas where young children and their parents are more likely to live and least concentrated in areas to which the elderly tend to migrate. Those communities that are most polluted and which also emit the least pollution tend to be amongst the poorest in Britain. There is therefore evidence of environmental injustice in the distribution and production of poor air quality in Britain. However, the spatial distribution of those who produce and receive most of that pollution have to be considered simultaneously to see this injustice clearly.

Suggested Citation

  • Gordon Mitchell & Danny Dorling, 2003. "An Environmental Justice Analysis of British Air Quality," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 35(5), pages 909-929, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:35:y:2003:i:5:p:909-929
    DOI: 10.1068/a35240
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michael Jerrett & Richard T Burnett & Pavlos Kanaroglou & John Eyles & Norm Finkelstein & Chris Giovis & Jeffrey R Brook, 2001. "A GIS–Environmental Justice Analysis of Particulate Air Pollution in Hamilton, Canada," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 33(6), pages 955-973, June.
    2. Julii S Brainard & Andrew P Jones & Ian J Bateman & Andrew A Lovett & Peter J Fallon, 2002. "Modelling Environmental Equity: Access to Air Quality in Birmingham, England," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 34(4), pages 695-716, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gössling, Stefan, 2016. "Urban transport justice," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 1-9.
    2. Gaffron, Philine, 2012. "Urban transport, environmental justice and human daily activity patterns," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 114-127.
    3. Canepa, Kathryn & Hardman, Scott & Tal, Gil, 2019. "An early look at plug-in electric vehicle adoption in disadvantaged communities in California," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 19-30.
    4. Hodgson, Susan & Namdeo, Anil & Araujo-Soares, Vera & Pless-Mulloli, Tanja, 2012. "Towards an interdisciplinary science of transport and health: a case study on school travel," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 70-79.
    5. Llop, Sabrina & Ballester, Ferran & Estarlich, Marisa & Iñiguez, Carmen & Ramón, Rosa & Gonzalez, MCarmen & Murcia, Mario & Esplugues, Ana & Rebagliato, Marisa, 2011. "Social factors associated with nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure during pregnancy: The INMA-Valencia project in Spain," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(6), pages 890-898, March.
    6. Ham, Yun-Ju & Maddison, David J. & Elliott, Robert J.R., 2013. "The valuation of landfill disamenities in Birmingham," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 116-129.
    7. Undp, 2011. "HDR 2011 - Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All," Human Development Report (1990 to present), Human Development Report Office (HDRO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), number hdr2011, September.
    8. Jephcote, Calvin & Chen, Haibo & Ropkins, Karl, 2016. "Implementation of the Polluter-Pays Principle (PPP) in local transport policy," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 58-71.

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