Air quality awareness - empirical evidence from a comparative perspective between two European cities

Salimbene, Ornella (author), Baeza-Romero, María Teresa (author), Pilla, Francesco (author), Čok, Gregor (author)

This research, conducted as part of the European project PA-MAP (Participatory Approach to Monitoring Air Quality in Urban Environments), investigates citizens’ perceptions of air pollution in two European cities: Turin (Italy) and Dublin (Ireland). We systematically collected social data through semi-structured surveys distributed via online platforms. Our aim was to gather comprehensive information on the perception of pollution sources and the effectiveness of control systems. We examined citizens’ habits and their suggestions to improve air quality. The results revealed the following: (1) In Turin, the perception of air pollution significantly influences individuals’ self-assessments of health. Consequently, increased vigilance is required to mitigate environmental health risks and to disseminate information on air quality and effective practices for reducing air pollution. (2) The use of sustainable transportation in Turin is hindered due to the inadequate maintenance of cycling infrastructure. Citizens prefer to use cars or trains, which facilitate rapid travel. (3) In Dublin, greater sensitivity to the problem of air pollution has emerged, and the use of sustainable means of transport is facilitated via ad hoc infrastructure. These results provide empirical evidence to policymakers to support the promotion of concrete local actions through which to improve air quality.

• Language: English
• Keywords: air quality, citizen behavior, qualitative survey, Europe
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FGG - Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Author Accepted Manuscript
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 16 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 8, iss. 3
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-161267-6a222736-6bfc-bd02-001a-35760bfb6569
• UDC: 71
• ISSN on article: 2413-8851
• DOI: 10.3390/urbansci8030133
• COBISS.SI-ID: 206681859
• Publication date in RUL: 09.09.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Urban science
• Shortened title: Urban sci.
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2413-8851
• COBISS.SI-ID: 526778393

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: kvaliteta zraka, obnašanje prebivalcev, kvalitativna raziskava, Evropa

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P2-0227
• Name: Geoinformacijska infrastruktura in trajnostni prostorski razvoj Slovenije

• Funder: EC - European Commission
• Funding programme: H2020
• Project number: 945380
• Name: EUTOPIA-Science and Innovation Fellowships
• Acronym: EUTOPIA-SIF