Bahr, Sebastian (2024). Dimensions of Social and Environmental Change: Insights into Long-Term Poverty, Environmental Concern, and Urban Greenery. (Thesis). Universität Bern, Bern
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Abstract
Our society faces numerous challenges that emerged at the turn of the millennium. In the wake of the 2007 financial crisis, reducing inequality and poverty has become a pressing issue not only in the Global South but also in Europe. Another significant challenge that emerged before the turn of the millennium but has since gained even greater importance is addressing climate change. Furthermore, the global urban population is increasing at an unprecedented rate, highlighting the importance of urban planning in creating safe, livable, and prosperous cities. The dissertation addresses these issues by empirically analyzing the drivers of these phenomena. The first article examines how long-term poverty has developed in 26 European countries after the financial crises and by what macro-level factors it is driven. The findings suggest that the long-term poverty rate stayed unchanged in 13 out of 26 European countries. GDP does not affect long-term poverty rates, but male employment rates and social welfare expenditure are negatively associated. The second article provides an overview of the development of environmental concern in 29 countries responsible for 71% of global CO₂ emissions over the past three decades. Moreover, the article examines the determinants of environmental concern at the individual level and country level. Compared to the previous measurement in 2010, environmental concern has increased in nearly all countries. Education, post-materialistic values, political attitudes, and trust in the news media and science are the main driving factors of environmental concern at the individual level. At the country level, environmental concern is predominately influenced by countries’ GPD. The third article sheds light on the relationship between urban greenery, mixed land use and life satisfaction in Switzerland. Only older residents tend to benefit from a greener neighborhood. This relationship is mainly driven by trees and grass located in gardens and parks. In contrast, land use mixture is only positively associated with younger residents’ life satisfaction, and the positive effect diminishes at higher ages.
| Item Type: | Thesis |
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| Dissertation Type: | Cumulative |
| Date of Defense: | 25 October 2024 |
| Subjects: | 300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology 300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 360 Social problems & social services |
| Institute / Center: | 03 Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Institute of Sociology |
| Depositing User: | Hammer Igor |
| Date Deposited: | 15 Jan 2025 09:24 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Jan 2025 09:28 |
| URI: | https://boristheses.unibe.ch/id/eprint/5741 |
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