Introduction
This project was led by Gordon Walker (now at Lancaster University) for the Environment Agency and built on previous work undertaken by IESR. It sought to understand patterns of unequal social impact and environmental inequality for the following topics: Flooding, Waste Management, Water Quality and Cumulative Impacts
Background and context
The partnership of researchers for this project consisted of:
- Lancaster University: Gordon Walker, Lancaster Environment Centre. Project lead.
- University of Birmingham: Judith Petts and Sarah Damery, School of Geography and Earth Sciences. Lead on waste management and water quality.
- University of Surrey: Kate Burningham and Jane Fielding, Department of Sociology. Lead on flood risk.
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: Carolyn Stephens and Ruth Willis. Lead on cumulative impacts.
- Brunel University: Malcolm Eames.
- University of Westminster: Karen Lucas.
Summary of project research
Graham Smith carried out a GIS based analysis to examine the relationship between the locations of waste sites, areas at risk from flooding and water bodies with poor ecological status, to level of multiple deprivation in England and Wales.
This analysis was broken down for the English regions and, where possible, differentiated between different characteristics of environmental features (e.g. different types of waste sites).
Project impact
Project reports and publications
Walker G and Eames M (2008) Environmental Inequalities: reflections on a transdisciplinary seminar series. Local Environment, 13(8), 663-667.
The project produced 5 reports:
- Gordon Walker, Kate Burningham, Jane Fielding, Graham Smith, Diana Thrush and Helen Fay (2006) Addressing Environmental Inequalities: Flood Risk, Science Report: SC020061/SR1. Environment Agency, Bristol.
- Carolyn Stephens, Ruth Willis and Gordon Walker (2007) Addressing Environmental Inequalities: Cumulative Environmental Impacts, Science Report: SC020061/SR4. Environment Agency, Bristol.
- Sarah Damery, Gordon Walker, Judith Petts and Graham Smith (2007) Addressing Environmental Inequalities: Water Quality, Science Report: SC020061/SR2, Environment Agency, Bristol.
- Sarah Damery, Judith Petts, Gordon Walker, Graham Smith (2007) Addressing Environmental Inequalities: Waste Management, Science Report SC020061/SR3, Environment Agency, Bristol.
- Gordon Walker, Sarah Damery, Judith Petts, Graham Smith (2007) Addressing Environmental Inequalities: Flood Risk, Waste Management and Water Quality in Wales, Science Report SC020061/SR5, Environment Agency, Bristol.
See also..
Environmental justice in England and Wales 2003
Environmental justice in Scotland 2005
Environmental justice in South Yorkshire 2008