Environmental pressure: distribution across socio-economic groups

	Income categories
	High	Above average	Average	Low	Minimum	Mixed	Basic

	%
More than 35 dwellings per hectare	22.5	35.7	48.9	63.4	68.2	46.2	46.7
Proximity to road acting as barrier	9.8	11.0	10.6	9.9	9.5	10.3	10.4
More than 50m² green space per inhabitant within 500 m	16.9	13.4	11.8	12.5	12.1	11.6	12.7
Proximity External Safety Report fireworks	0.5	0.8	1.1	1.2	0.9	1	1
Noise < 50 dB(A)	19.7	18.8	18.2	15.5	14.8	18.2	17.8
Noise > 65 dB(A)	3.8	3.7	4.1	4.4	5.3	4.6	4.2
Proximity to road with NO₂ exceedance	15.7	15.4	19	27.5	33.3	21.1	20.1

Source: RIVM						RIVM/EDC/Oct02

Developments in the distribution of environmental pressure

In the Netherlands, there is a connection between environmental quality and socio-economic characteristics (RIVM, 1997 and 2000). Poor-quality neighbourhoods (high environmental pressure, high density, poor access to green areas) also tend to have problems associated with poor educational achievement, unemployment, crime and lack of safety.

Policy

The objective of government policy is to ensure a healthy, safe and high-quality human living environment. In terms of environment and health safety, there is a basic, or minimum, quality. In the National Environmental Policy Plan 4 (NEPP4) (VROM, 2001), the 'basic quality' or 'minimum quality' of the human living environment is the responsibility of central government. The responsibility for providing a 'high-quality human living environment' is delegated to lower levels (local authorities, regional bodies). Although both definitions are very appealing in conceptual terms, they require elaboration. It is still unclear which indicators should be included here.

Relevance

Despite the fact that there are no concrete aims included in the policy, various studies have shown that the values in the figure can generally be used as threshold values for noise and air pollution. Above these values, people state that they suffer nuisance or research has shown that effects on health may occur.

Technical note

In 120 municipalities, a postcode-based analysis was conducted which compared the standard of living (income) to the physical and spatial factors of the human living environment. The diagram shows the index by income group and by indicator. The total population index = 1. A value lower than 1 is positive compared to the average for the population as a whole.

References

RIVM (1997). Volksgezondheid Toekomst Verkenning 1997: de som der delen. Elsevier/De Tijdstroom, Utrecht.
RIVM (2000). National Environmental Outlook 5. Samsom bv, Alphen aan den Rijn.
VROM (2001). National Environmental Policy Plan 4. Working on sustainability: Where there's a will there's a world. Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, The Hague.