Environmental justice in South Yorkshire

This project (with its outputs) aims to provide a robust evidence base at the sub-regional level to enable the Environment Agency to deliver aspects of Creating a Better Place (the corporate strategy) that relate to Better Quality of Life issues. Specifically it details the level of
environmental inequalities experienced by different groups in South Yorkshire. The outputs of the project could also be used to initiate a dialogue with local communities in South Yorkshire about the quality of their environment and therefore supports Defra’s ‘Improving Poor Environment programme’.

This work should also be of interest to local authorities, environmental organisations, regeneration agencies and the voluntary sector who are engaging with agendas of sustainable development, social inclusion, health and ‘environmental justice’.

Populations in South Yorkshire were classified using the Index of Multiple Deprivation at the individual household level. The most deprived population is classified as those who live in the lowest ten per cent of areas nationally. Using a Geographical Information System the population
living near to a range of environmental factors was analysed. Statistics on rural urban populations, clustering of sites and the multiple impact of different environmental factors are also included. The outputs of the project allow South Yorkshire to be mapped forenvironmental inequalities at the most detailed level possible and as such hotspots or
locations for area based interventions can be identified.