The local environment and subjective well-being (ESCoE DP 2025-14)

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The local environment and subjective well-being (ESCoE DP 2025-14)

By Richard Belcher, Daniela Fecht,

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Abstract

This paper explores whether it is possible to use the well-being data collected in the survey Understanding Society to produce estimates of the cost put on local air pollution or proximity to a main road and the value placed on proximity to green space. The conclusions are rather negative. Calculations based on the 2012/13 wave point and the 2016/17 wave give very different answers, and a differences in differences approach shows no significant environmental effect. In the near term it seems unlikely that this approach could form a basis for the inclusion of environmental influences in measures of local well-being.

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