Environment and wellbeing: assessing the impact of environmental quality and pro-environmental behavior on wellbeing

In this chapter, we focus on the two major aspects of the link between the environment and wellbeing: environmental quality and pro-environmental action. Air and water pollution, excessive noise, and the absence of green spaces have many adverse effects on people, such as poor physical and mental health, a decrease in the perceived quality of life, reduced productivity, and lower subjective wellbeing (SWB). Interventions addressing these issues enhance wellbeing directly through changes in environmental quality, but they can also affect wellbeing indirectly by signaling that governments act on environmental concerns and by improving transparency through environmental quality disclosure. There is also a wealth of correlational evidence that indicates that pro-environmental behaviors (PEB), especially those that are more visible and involve socializing, are associated with higher SWB. Nature connectedness, pro-environmental attitudes, and identity are also linked to higher wellbeing. However, policy interventions typically encourage PEB and attitudes solely for the sake of environmental protection, and not to enhance individual wellbeing. Based on our analysis we propose recommendations for policy-makers on ways to enhance wellbeing through addressing the quality of the natural environment and by encouraging PEBs and attitudes, which have the highest potential to positively affect wellbeing while also yielding environmental benefits.