A new research article titled “Socioeconomic Determinants of Perceived Exposure to Noise and Pollution: Urban–Rural Differences across European Countries” has been published in the journal Stanovnistvo, offering a comprehensive cross‑country analysis of environmental perceptions across Europe.
Author: Aleksandra Anic
The study investigates how socioeconomic characteristics shape individuals’ perceived exposure to noise and pollution, using harmonized microdata from EU‑SILC. By applying probit modelling across multiple European countries, the authors examine how factors such as education, employment status, household composition, income, and settlement type influence the likelihood of reporting environmental disturbances.
Key insights:
- Urban–rural disparities: Residents of urban areas consistently report higher perceived exposure to noise and pollution.
- Socioeconomic gradients: Lower‑educated, economically inactive individuals and households with children are more likely to perceive environmental burdens.
- Cross‑country variation: Differences reflect national patterns of urbanization, infrastructure, housing quality, and environmental regulation.
- Policy relevance: Perceived exposure provides an important complement to objective environmental indicators, highlighting social inequalities in environmental risk.
This research contributes to a deeper understanding of subjective environmental inequality and supports the development of policies that integrate social and demographic dimensions into environmental risk assessment.
