Title: Life satisfaction and environmental conditions: issues for policy

Authors: B. Mak Arvin; Byron Lew

Addresses: Department of Economics, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 7B8, Canada. ' Department of Economics, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 7B8, Canada

Abstract: This paper investigates the relationship between pollution and life satisfaction in countries around the globe over recent decades. Our empirical model allows both per capita income and pollution to enter as arguments of a life satisfaction 'production function'. The results reveal that pollution has a negative marginal impact on the level of life satisfaction of citizens of countries - although this negative impact is reduced as these countries become more economically prosperous. We conclude that interactions between per capita income and pollution should be considered in empirical studies assessing life satisfaction.

Keywords: life satisfaction; happiness; environmental conditions; environmental pollution; per capita income.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGENVI.2012.047876

International Journal of Global Environmental Issues, 2012 Vol.12 No.1, pp.76 - 90

Received: 17 Oct 2011
Accepted: 11 Apr 2012
Published online: 28 Aug 2014 *

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