Who Breathes What? A Spatial Exploration of Air Quality Exposure and Socio-Economic Inequalities in Belgium

Details

Supervisors

Orsini, Marco

Faculty

Institut d'études européennes Saint-Louis

Degree label

Advanced Master in EU Environmental Governance (POLLEN)

Abstract

enThis research paper explores the question “who breathes what?” by examining the intersection of air quality exposure and socio-economic inequalities in Belgium. Drawing on a data-driven approach, it asks whether the burden or air pollution falls disproportionately on socio-economically disadvantaged populations, and what spatial patterns emerge from such an analysis. The study first critically engages with the air quality data produced by IRCELINE, the Belgian federal scientific institution responsible for air pollution monitoring, assessing how these data are produced, what spatial resolution they offer, and what limitations they carry for environmental justice research. Using four key pollutants, PM2.5, PM10, NO2 and Black Carbon, the study maps spatial distribution among different Belgian municipalities in concordance with socio-economic indicators. To operationalize the relationship between pollution exposure and socio-economic conditions, three municipal-level indicators are mobilized: median annual gross income (2023), average real estate prices for houses with two or three street-facing sides (2025) and the administrative risk of poverty (2023). Applying the Pearson correlation coefficient, the study aims to investigate whether disparities in air pollution exposure systematically coincide with socio-economic disadvantage.