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Pathways to Environmental Inequality: How Urban Traffic Noise Annoyance Varies across Socioeconomic Subgroups

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  • Peter Preisendörfer

    (Institute of Sociology, University of Mainz, Jakob-Welder-Weg 12, D-55128 Mainz, Germany)

  • Heidi Bruderer Enzler

    (School of Social Work, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Pfingstweidstr. 96, CH-8037 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Andreas Diekmann

    (Environmental Research Group, ETH Zurich, WEP H18, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
    Institute of Sociology, University of Leipzig, Beethovenstr. 15, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Jörg Hartmann

    (Research Centre Global Dynamics, University of Leipzig, Strohsackpassage, D-04109 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Karin Kurz

    (Institute of Sociology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 3, D-37073 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Ulf Liebe

    (Department of Sociology, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK)

Abstract

The article investigates how socioeconomic background affects noise annoyance caused by residential road traffic in urban areas. It is argued that the effects of socioeconomic variables (migration background, education, and income) on noise annoyance tend to be underestimated because these effects are mainly indirect. We specify three indirect pathways. (1) A “noise exposure path” assumes that less privileged households are exposed to a higher level of noise and therefore experience stronger annoyance. (2) A “housing attributes path” argues that less privileged households can shield themselves less effectively from noise due to unfavorable housing conditions and that this contributes to annoyance. (3) Conversely, an “environmental susceptibility path” proposes that less privileged people are less concerned about the environment and have a lower noise sensitivity, and that this reduces their noise annoyance. Our analyses rest on a study carried out in four European cities (Mainz and Hanover in Germany, Bern and Zurich in Switzerland), and the results support the empirical validity of the three indirect pathways.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Preisendörfer & Heidi Bruderer Enzler & Andreas Diekmann & Jörg Hartmann & Karin Kurz & Ulf Liebe, 2022. "Pathways to Environmental Inequality: How Urban Traffic Noise Annoyance Varies across Socioeconomic Subgroups," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-18, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:22:p:14984-:d:972150
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stefanie Dreger & Steffen Andreas Schüle & Lisa Karla Hilz & Gabriele Bolte, 2019. "Social Inequalities in Environmental Noise Exposure: A Review of Evidence in the WHO European Region," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Natalie Riedel & Joachim Scheiner & Grit M�ller & Heike K�ckler, 2014. "Assessing the relationship between objective and subjective indicators of residential exposure to road traffic noise in the context of environmental justice," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(9), pages 1398-1421, September.
    3. H. Spencer Banzhaf & Lala Ma & Christopher Timmins, 2019. "Environmental Justice: Establishing Causal Relationships," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 11(1), pages 377-398, October.
    4. Rainer Guski & Dirk Schreckenberg & Rudolf Schuemer, 2017. "WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Annoyance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-39, December.
    5. Enembe Oku Okokon & Anu W. Turunen & Sari Ung-Lanki & Anna-Kaisa Vartiainen & Pekka Tiittanen & Timo Lanki, 2015. "Road-Traffic Noise: Annoyance, Risk Perception, and Noise Sensitivity in the Finnish Adult Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-23, May.
    6. Truls Gjestland, 2020. "On the Temporal Stability of People’s Annoyance with Road Traffic Noise," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-14, February.
    7. Spencer Banzhaf & Lala Ma & Christopher Timmins, 2019. "Environmental Justice: The Economics of Race, Place, and Pollution," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 33(1), pages 185-208, Winter.
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