Connecting Global Priorities Biodiversity and Human Health

UNITED NATIONS PHOTO / FLICKR
Recognition of these disproportionate impacts
of high-quality natural environments and
biodiversity to the health of those with the
lowest levels of socioeconomic status has led
statutory bodies, such as Natural England and the
Forestry Commission in the UK, to adopt policies
(for instance, Accessible Natural Green Space
Standard⁹) encouraging or facilitating greater
equity of access.
Such policy interventions are welcome. In many
places, there is an inequitable spatial distribution
of biodiverse natural spaces (particularly in the
urban context) according to socioeconomic status
and other cultural and demographic factors (Astell-
Burt et al. 2014; Ernstson 2013). If you live in a
low-income urban neighbourhood you are likely
to have fewer and lower-quality green spaces and,
therefore, fewer opportunities to experience and
benefit from biodiversity than people in higherincome
neighbourhoods. Multiple descriptive
studies have also shown strong correlations
between neighbourhoods characterized by lower
socioeconomic status (or other factors such as
high immigrant populations) and proximity to
environments with lower levels of biodiversity
(Cohen et al. 2006, 2012; Hope et al. 2003;
Kabisch & Haase 2014; Kinzig et al. 2005; Martin
et al. 2004; Strohbach et al. 2009). Strohbach
et al. (2009), for instance, found that wealthier
neighbourhoods, which were typically situated
close to forests, parks, rivers and high-quality
green spaces, had a greater richness of species
than poorer neighbourhoods. The differences can
be stark. For example, Kinzig et al. (2005) found
an average of 28 avian species in parks in highincome
areas compared with only 18 avian species
in parks in low-income areas.¹⁰
However, even where policies to facilitate exposure
to biodiverse environments are acted upon and
efforts are made to improve accessibility, it still
may be the case that some groups, particularly
those with lower socioeconomic status, face
inequitable access (Jones et al. 2009).¹¹ Similar
disproportionate reliance on local environments
⁹ ‘Nature Nearby’ Accessible Natural Greenspace Guidance. www.naturalengland.org.uk
¹⁰ This inequality could, in some cases, have profound implications. Quality of life is strongly influenced by one’s environment,
particularly for the poor and marginalized who most need access to high-quality, local biodiverse environments, as they are
likely to be unable to travel frequently for any great distance to experience these places (Kinzig et al. 2005).
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